Beer sales increase thanks to Euro football tournament

Beer sales have increased in recent months, with drinkers downing 31 million extra pints, despite a continued fall in drinking in pubs and bars, new figures show.

So-called off-trade sales, including from supermarkets, rose by 4.8% compared with a fall of 1.9% in pubs, restaurants and bars, in April to June.

Around two billion pints of beer were sold in the latest quarter, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) figures show.

Beer sales have been relatively stable for the past few years following a period of decline.

The association said the change followed cuts in beer duty in Budgets since 2013.

BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds said: "These are yet more encouraging figures, and the football has given a real boost to sales. It is quite clear we owe a huge debt of thanks to the cuts in beer duty from 2013.

"I hope the Government continues with this pioneering change in approach, and we continue to see support for fairer taxes for British beer."

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