Wines, beers, white spirits, dark spirits, liqueurs, ciders, champagnes... Booze comes in a plethora of variations and off-licences these days will stock three or four brands of each type.
Wine consumption in particular has soared and Britons are set to become the biggest spenders (if not drinkers) in Europe by 2010, so specialising in wine could be lucrative – but only in the right location.
Although wine is now popular across a broader swathe of society than previously, a wine-orientated store will work better in affluent areas. Nevertheless, if you specialise in wines, ales or another type of alcohol, you’ll be able to draw people from further afield.
Unique selling point
Of course, this will only happen if you build up a good reputation – and to do so you’ll need strong knowledge in, and passion for, your chosen specialism. A specialist shop where the staff know their stuff has a unique selling point and an edge over the competition.
With consumption up 50% since 1970, the British spend more on alcohol now than ever before and are more inclined to pay extra for premium quality goods
Ironically, as drinks menus become more cosmopolitan, traditional English ale is experiencing a renaissance. The number of ‘real ales’ on the market is substantial and growing, feeding an appetite for beer with varied, distinctive flavours, and brewed with natural ingredients by small-scale breweries – all features often lacking in carbonated, identikit lagers.
So you might consider stocking a number of ales, and you’ll please the aficionados if you occasionally refresh your range.
Although we are becoming more continental in what we drink, we are still very much Anglo-Saxon in terms of volume. With consumption up 50% since 1970, the British spend more on alcohol now than ever before and are more inclined to pay extra for premium quality goods.
We drink in a wide variety of situations all-year round, so it is safe to say that demand never dips dramatically. Christmas, warm weather and big football tournaments push sales through the roof. Off-licence owners, more than most, pray for England to advance far in the World Cup.
People also drink more at home than ever before. With pub prices rising and strict drink-drive legislation making life difficult for people without decent local public transport, many people are more inclined to keep the fridge well stocked than put money behind the bar.
And the smoking ban, which came into force in 2007, has probably persuaded at least some smokers to drink at home more often, although the converse must apply to non-smokers who appreciate the smoke-free atmosphere of post-ban pubs.
