New data published by CMBC has revealed that shopping for beer between Monday and Wednesday is far more common than many might expect, with almost one third of beer shoppers making their purchases on these days of the week.

CMBC is sharing its new ‘Beersonas’ – its take on beer consumer profiles – which have been designed to help convenience store owners understand more about their beer shoppers and cater more effectively to their needs. 

The brewer has revealed that while shopping for beer at the weekend or ahead of a major sporting event remains popular, the ‘Early Bird’ shopper category is actually the most common, representing 29.3% of all UK households.

CMBC’s insights teams’ analysis of recent shopping data[i] identified the following key ‘beersona’ profiles that purchase from convenience stores:

1. Early Birds, representing 29.3% of shoppers. They tend to buy beer earlier in the week, often purchasing ale alongside other grocery staples such as tea bags, canned vegetables and salad. With a higher disposable income, these shoppers also have more free time and can afford to shop around, buying in smaller amounts but more frequently throughout the week, rather than in one big shopping trip.
2. Rush Hour Regulars, 16.2% of shoppers. They are usually on a ‘meal for tonight’ mission, using convenience stores between 4pm-6pm ahead of dinnertime – this means they will be on the lookout for chilled beer. They are impulsive and can be persuaded to trade up to a new or premium product, favouring lager over ale.
3. Weekend Welcomers, 25.7% of shoppers. While all beer sales see a spike at the weekend, older adults with families over-index at this time of the week. Weekend Welcomers are often time-poor, and don’t tend to browse for long. They can be impulsive depending on the weather and if there is an occasion coming along. They may be more likely to look at the Low & No alcohol .range available, due to having busy family commitments or needing to drive. Having mid packs around the store and chilling beer where possible will help cater to these shoppers’ needs.
4. One Quick Thing, 28.8% of shoppers. These are ‘top-up’ shoppers and may not initially be looking for beer. However, they can be persuaded to add it to their baskets via strategic fixture placement that draw attention to great products and promotions. They are deal-savvy and time-poor so will be interested in chilled products and will respond to clear messaging about the best deals

Howard Dix, Business Unit Director for Impulse at CMBC, said: “Whilst the peak time of the week for beer purchases remains Friday and Saturday evenings, there is an opportunity at the start of the week to appeal to a different demographic. 

“Retailers might be surprised to know that older shoppers who tend to shop for beer earlier in the week are actually one of the largest groups of available shoppers. I'd encourage convenience store owners to think about whether there are particular promotions they could run from Monday to Wednesday to cater to this group. Our Early Birds tend to like more traditional beers such as ale and standard lager, so focusing on these products will maximise sales for the full week.”

CMBC currently offers a range of products and pack sizes to cater to all these customer groups, including Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, 1664 Bière and Hobgoblin ale with 440ml and 568ml cans proving most popular among convenience store shoppers. 

To find out more, retailers should visit signup.carlsbergmarstons.co.uk and enquire using the online form.