With lager's volume share of the beer market accounting for 60% - are younger drinkers aged 18-24 key consumers?

Lager sector continues to see growth in both the on-and off trade. Lager sales now amount to around £10 billion.

Brewers continue to invest in leading brands as drinkers demand greater choices, stronger beers and more healthier products - is the market becoming more consumer focused?

Volume growth of 40% in the last five years demonstrates the strength of the UK lager market and partly explains why the British are the fourth-biggest beer consumers in Europe. Brewers continue to invest in core brands as drinkers demand greater choice, stronger beers and, in some cases, healthier products such as lower alcohol, lower calorie or GM-free variants. The market is becoming much more consumer-focused, and both brewers and retailers must now respond to these demands. Carlsberg, for example, banned the use of all GM cereals in its beers as from Spring 1999 in response to its Danish consumers who want natural ingredients.

With lager's volume share of the beer market accounting for 60% - are younger drinkers aged 18-24 key consumers?

Lager sector continues to see growth in both the on-and off trade. Lager sales now amount to around £10 billion.

Brewers continue to invest in leading brands as drinkers demand greater choices, stronger beers and more healthier products - is the market becoming more consumer focused?

Volume growth of 40% in the last five years demonstrates the strength of the UK lager market and partly explains why the British are the fourth-biggest beer consumers in Europe. Brewers continue to invest in core brands as drinkers demand greater choice, stronger beers and, in some cases, healthier products such as lower alcohol, lower calorie or GM-free variants. The market is becoming much more consumer-focused, and both brewers and retailers must now respond to these demands. Carlsberg, for example, banned the use of all GM cereals in its beers as from Spring 1999 in response to its Danish consumers who want natural ingredients.

Lager now accounts for some 60% of all beer in the UK by volume, with ale accounting for 35% and stout the remainder. It is widely expected that the British thirst for lager will continue to grow. Amid this positive consumer demand are wrangles over the ownership of some of Britain's greatest names in beer and the international brewing industry is consolidating rapidly, while the number of pub operators grows almost daily, virtually negating the 1989 Beer Orders.

This report covers the market for all lager sold in the UK. The canned, bottled, and draught lager markets were last reported on separately by Mintel in January, February, and March 2000 respectively, and this is the first time since 1995 that the lager market has been examined in its entirety.

Other Mintel reports of relevance include:

- Cross-Channel Shopping for Alcohol, Market Intelligence, June 2001

- Cider, Market Intelligence, October 2000

- Pub Visiting, Leisure Intelligence, August 2000

- Ales and Stouts, Market Intelligence, May 2000

- On-trade Soft Drinks, Market Intelligence, September 2001.