SALES OF alcohol in Ireland have skyrocketed by 93% in just four weeks.
Media intelligence business Kantar have released a new report which shows the numbers of alcohol sales have gone through the roof in grocery stores across Ireland.
The study, undertaken over four weeks up to 17 May, indicate that take-home grocery sales have grown at its fastest rate in over 15 years, having grown by 25.4% in the past 12 weeks.
However, with most offices closed due to coronavirus measures implemented in Ireland, many grocery stores are reporting huge drops in sales of on-the-go meals or lunch deals.
Online grocery sales were 76% higher than they were this time last time, again largely due to the pandemic which has seen people less willing to leave their houses to shop: 15% of all Irish households had groceries delivered to their house at least once over the past three months.
Large supermarket chains SuperValu, Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi and Lidl have all reported strong sales growths this month as shoppers have stopped eating out, are colouring and styling their hair themselves, and-- of course-- have stopped going to the pub, leading to the 93% jump in alcohol sales.
Kantar spokesperson and retail analyst Emer Healy said of the findings:
"The jump in grocery sales over the most recent three-months in large part reflects the fact that it includes both the pre-lockdown surge in shopper spend and the eight weeks of stay-at-home advice from Government, bringing almost all meals into the home.
"While the growth of take-home grocery sales is strong, the overall picture for some supermarkets will be less positive as these gains are offset by falling spend on on-the-go meals, drinks and snacks."
