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Why you shouldn’t overlook your core lager range
Keep sales healthy with a traditional lager offering that gives customers value for money and familiarity and brings in around £40,000 in sales every year
The clamour for orange peel, pickle, lemon and even moss in our lager isn’t going away any time soon.
Guests seeking something new love the unusual, crisp notes and pairing potential that come with the rapidly evolving and ever more ingenious menu of premium and world beers.
A different, quirky treat they may be, but brewers of heritage brand lagers say venues that ignore the traditional favourites do so at their peril.
“Core lager still performs very well and can be an important part of a venue’s offering because of the significant volume share of the market it enjoys*,” says Amy Sloman, Customer Activation Executive at Molson Coors.
In fact, the category accounts for one in three pints of lager sold, and plays a vital role in driving cash and rate of sale for outlets. A typical core stocking outlet sells 226 pints a week, generating more than £43,000 per year in revenue.
That’s why two in three draught lager stockists keep a core option because of their accessibility and heritage reputation among football fans.
“Miraculous feat”
Carling, Molson Coors’ flagship core lager, is the biggest lager brand in the On Trade, delivering an average 184 weekly pints per stockist – that’s £34,300 a year in retail value.
Paul Rudge, Molson Coors Beer and Cider Champion, says: “Consumers know they can rely on Carling for consistent quality and regard it as a trusted partner, not only for social drinking with mates but also the biggest footballing events.”
He describes the golden pint, brewed using only the best exclusively grown barley, as “a miraculous feat” due to its perfect balance of moreish sweetness and bitterness of the hops: “Every pint is quality and tastes exactly as it should, hence its reputation for being a fantastically high-quality beer and a British classic since the 1950s.”
Sources: *CGA OPMS MAT Draught data to P2 2025 (22/02/2025); **Kantar Alcovision Weekly Drinkers 12m/e 31 December 2024; ***CGA by NIQ Consumer Pulse, February 2025. Sample 199,749
Value and familiarity
More than 1.2 million customers drink core lager every week** as they seek value for money and familiarity. Core brands like Carling have a strong heritage that Paul insists should not be overlooked in difficult economic times.
Four in 10 consumers would prioritise visits to pubs and On Trade***, suggesting a strong desire for social and celebratory experiences where lager and core beverage categories flourish.
Amy says: “Consumers want a reason to visit the pub and live football goes hand in hand with Carling.”
Crossovers such as Swinkels Dutch-brewed 3.4% Bavaria lager are also popular. Senior Marketing Manager Emma Harris says: “Our 3.4% pilsner is enjoying strong growth in the UK, offering an imported lager at an excellent price per pint. Available in 50l kegs, Bavaria is full bodied, balanced and crisp, delivering on flavour.”
5 reasons to keep core
- Core lagers are great value for
the price - Broad appeal and high-volume sales
- Easier inventory management
- Consistent, reliable flavour profile
- Demand remains high in younger generations
“Consumers know they can rely on Carling for consistent quality and regard it as a trusted partner, not only for social drinking with mates but also the biggest footballing events”
- Paul Rudge, Molson Coors Beer and Cider Champion
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