BRITS guzzled a billion more pints of beer last year compared to 2020 as they flocked back to pubs after lockdowns.
Wine or spirits had replaced lager or ale as favourite tipples during Covid curbs.
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But that trend reversed again in 2021 as restrictions gradually eased, research found.
Sales of beer are almost back to pre-pandemic levels, according to the study from accountancy group UHY Hacker Young.
It said there were 4.6billion litres of beer sold in 2021, up 13 per cent from 4.1billion in 2020 — a rise equivalent to 1.1 billion pints.
UHY’s James Simmonds said that those drinking at home at the height of the pandemic swapped beer for wine or spirits, resulting in a 13 per cent fall in 2020.
Wine sales rose to 112million litres in 2020, up from 84million in 2019, while spirit sales jumped to 10.9million litres from 7.4million over the same period.
Now pubs have reopened, beer sales have swiftly recovered to 98 per cent of their pre-pandemic 2019 level. It is seen as better-suited to longer, social drinking sessions, UHY explained.
Wine and spirits are now less in favour, with a drop in sales equivalent to 5.2million bottles of wine (three per cent) and 1.8million bottles of spirits (12 per cent) in 2021 compared to 2020.
Mr Simmonds added: “The pandemic saw a sudden shift in people’s drinking habits, with a move away from beer. That seems to have been temporary — we are now seeing consumers flooding back to beer.
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“It was a good summer for beer sales, with football’s European Championships providing a welcome sales boost for pubs.”
