UK adults drank an average of 5.6 litres of pure alcohol in 2022, but weekly spirits consumption still covers only about 25% of people. Gin remains the top choice at 42% consumer preference in 2022, while 28% of consumers reported trying no or low alcohol spirits in 2023. The result is a market split between who drinks and how they drink, with home occasions making up 62% of spirits consumption.
Key Takeaways
- Adult per capita spirits consumption was 5.6 litres pure alcohol in 2022
- 25% of UK adults consumed spirits weekly in 2023 survey
- Gin remains top spirit with 42% consumer preference in 2022
- UK exported £6.1 billion worth of spirits in 2022, led by Scotch whisky
- Scotch whisky exports volume 1.66 billion litres in 2022, up 15%
- USA top destination for UK spirits exports at £1.7 billion value 2022
- Whisky industry contributed £5.3 billion GVA to UK economy 2022
- Spirits sector employed 48,000 directly in UK 2023
- Tax revenue from spirits totalled £4.2 billion in 2022 incl VAT/duty
- UK total spirits market value hit £12.5 billion in 2022, up 8.3% YoY
- Off-trade spirits sales volume was 1,234 million litres in 2022
- On-trade spirits revenue reached £5.6 billion in 2023, recovering 15% post-COVID
- In 2022, UK spirits production reached 1,856 million litres, a 4.7% increase from 2021 driven by whisky output
- Scotch whisky distilleries produced 1,345 million litres of pure alcohol in 2022, up 12% year-on-year
- There were 142 operational malt whisky distilleries in Scotland as of 2023
In 2022 UK adults drank 5.6 litres of spirits, with gin leading, exports rising, and no and low growing.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Consumption Trends27 stats
01
Adult per capita spirits consumption was 5.6 litres pure alcohol in 2022
02
25% of UK adults consumed spirits weekly in 2023 survey
03
Gin remains top spirit with 42% consumer preference in 2022
04
Millennials (25-40) account for 55% of premium spirits volume in 2023
05
Women represent 48% of gin drinkers, up from 35% in 2015
06
Average consumption occasion: 2.8 units per spirits drinker session 2022
07
No/low alcohol spirits tried by 28% of consumers in 2023
08
Home consumption of spirits rose to 62% of total occasions in 2022
09
35-54 age group highest volume consumers at 7.2 litres/capita/year
10
Cocktail culture drives 40% of spirits consumption in urban areas 2023
11
Regional disparity: Scotland 8.1 litres/capita vs England 4.9 in 2022
12
Social media influence on spirits trials: 52% Gen Z in 2023
13
Frequency: 18% daily spirits consumers in 2022 survey
14
Flavoured spirits preference among 18-24s at 65% in 2023
15
Health-conscious consumers cut spirits intake by 12% avg 2022-2023
16
At-home mixology kits boosted personal consumption 25% in 2022
17
Ethnic minorities spirits consumption 20% below average in 2023
18
Peak consumption month December at 1.45x annual average 2022
19
Loyalty to favourite spirit: 72% consumers in 2023 poll
20
ABV preference: 37.5-40% most popular at 68% share 2022
21
Urban vs rural: cities 6.2 litres/capita vs 4.1 rural 2022
22
Post-COVID binge occasions down 18% in 2023
23
Celebrity-endorsed spirits consumed by 15% millennials 2022
24
Sustainable spirits preferred by 41% consumers in 2023
25
Portion size avg 35ml per serve, 55% compliance 2022
26
Gen Z non-drinkers of spirits 32% in 2023
27
Paired with food: 48% spirits occasions in 2022
Interpretation
Consumer Consumption Trends Interpretation
Despite our national pastime of sipping nearly a fistful of gin per week—often shaken, not stirred, at home by a growing legion of millennial and female mixologists—we're also increasingly nursing a low-proof, sustainability-conscious, and occasionally salad-paired drink, proving the British spirit is both enduring and happily conflicted.
02 · Category
Exports and Imports25 stats
01
UK exported £6.1 billion worth of spirits in 2022, led by Scotch whisky
02
Scotch whisky exports volume 1.66 billion litres in 2022, up 15%
03
USA top destination for UK spirits exports at £1.7 billion value 2022
04
France imported 112 million litres of UK spirits in 2022
05
Gin exports from UK reached 78 million litres in 2022, value £800 million
06
Imports of vodka to UK totalled 245 million litres in 2022
07
EU countries took 45% of UK spirits exports by value in 2023
08
US tariffs impacted Scotch exports by £200 million loss in 2022
09
Singapore free trade deal boosted spirits exports 22% to £150 million 2022
10
Rum imports to UK 67 million litres, mainly from Caribbean 2022
11
Australia imported £320 million UK spirits in 2022, up 10%
12
China market for UK gin exports grew 30% to £45 million 2023
13
Total spirits imports value £3.4 billion to UK in 2022
14
Duty on imported spirits generated £2.8 billion revenue 2022
15
Brazil emerged as top South American market, £80 million UK spirits 2022
16
Tequila imports to UK surged 60% to 12 million litres 2022
17
Post-Brexit border delays cost exporters £150 million in 2022
18
India tariff reductions lifted Scotch exports 18% to £120 million 2023
19
Duty-free exports 210 million litres from UK airports 2022
20
Japan imported 45 million litres Scotch, value £250 million 2022
21
Whisky 90% of UK spirits export value at £5.5 billion 2022
22
Emerging Africa exports up 25% to £60 million for UK spirits 2023
23
Cognac imports to UK 18 million litres, £400 million value 2022
24
UK spirits trade surplus £2.7 billion in 2022
25
Mexico agave spirits imports doubled to 8.5 million litres 2023
Interpretation
Exports and Imports Interpretation
While Scotch whisky heroically floats the UK's £6.1 billion spirits export boat, the nation's own growing thirst for imported vodka, tequila, and cognac reveals a delightful, and highly taxable, hypocrisy at the bar.
03 · Category
Industry Economics and Employment24 stats
01
Whisky industry contributed £5.3 billion GVA to UK economy 2022
02
Spirits sector employed 48,000 directly in UK 2023
03
Tax revenue from spirits totalled £4.2 billion in 2022 incl VAT/duty
04
Scotch whisky supported 40,000 tourism jobs in 2022
05
Investment in UK spirits sector £750 million in 2022
06
GVA per employee in spirits £120,000 avg 2023
07
Rural economies boosted by £1.1 billion from distilleries 2022
08
Supply chain spend by spirits firms £7.8 billion annually 2022
09
Apprenticeships in distilling: 2,500 new in 2022-2023
10
Energy costs rose 28% impacting margins by £180 million 2022
11
Female employment in sector 32% in 2023, up 10% since 2019
12
Export multiplier effect: £1 export generates £2.50 economy-wide 2022
13
R&D spend in spirits innovation £120 million in 2022
14
Visitor centres generated £250 million revenue 2022
15
Carbon tax equivalent cost £45 million for sector 2023
16
Wage bill for spirits workers £2.1 billion in 2022
17
SME spirits firms contribute 15% GVA despite 5% output 2023
18
Inflation hit profits down 8% despite 10% sales growth 2022
19
Overseas investment in UK distilleries £300 million 2022
20
Sector productivity growth 3.2% above national avg 2023
21
Charitable contributions by firms £25 million in 2022
22
Insurance premiums for distilleries up 15% to £80 million 2023
23
Digital transformation spend £95 million in 2022
24
Net zero transition cost projected £1.2 billion by 2030
Interpretation
Industry Economics and Employment Interpretation
This industry, from its £5.3 billion economic backbone and its army of 48,000 people to the £4.2 billion it pours into public coffers, is clearly a national asset with deep roots, yet its resilience is being tested as it tries to bottle the future while the costs of energy, carbon, and insurance keep trying to shake the glass.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Sales and Revenue29 stats
01
UK total spirits market value hit £12.5 billion in 2022, up 8.3% YoY
02
Off-trade spirits sales volume was 1,234 million litres in 2022
03
On-trade spirits revenue reached £5.6 billion in 2023, recovering 15% post-COVID
04
Gin category sales value grew 12% to £2.1 billion in 2022
05
Whisky sales volume totalled 456 million litres in 2022
06
Premium spirits segment sales up 18% to £4.8 billion in 2023
07
Vodka sales revenue was £1.9 billion in 2022, down 1.5%
08
RTD spirits sales volume exploded 35% to 120 million litres in 2022
09
Online spirits sales share reached 22% of total in 2023, value £2.7 billion
10
Duty-paid spirits clearances were 1,567 million litres in 2022
11
Supermarket spirits sales dominated with 68% market share in 2022
12
Flavoured vodka sales up 25% to £450 million in 2023
13
Own-label spirits sales grew 9% to £1.2 billion in 2022
14
Dark spirits sales value £3.4 billion, 27% of total market in 2022
15
Convenience store spirits sales volume up 14% in 2023
16
Luxury spirits over £50/bottle sales +22% to £850 million in 2022
17
Gin off-trade sales 512 million litres in 2022
18
Whisky on-trade volume 210 million litres in 2023
19
Rum sales revenue £780 million, up 6% in 2022
20
No/low ABV spirits sales +40% to £320 million in 2023
21
Travel retail spirits sales £1.1 billion in 2022 recovery
22
Regional sales: London spirits market £3.2 billion in 2022
23
E-commerce specialist spirits sales up 28% in 2023
24
Tequila/Mezcal sales surged 55% to £250 million in 2022
25
Multi-pack spirits promotions drove 15% sales uplift in 2023
26
Household penetration for spirits at 78% in 2022
27
Average spirits price per litre £10.25 in 2023, up 7.2%
28
Festival/bar spirits sales £450 million seasonal in 2022
29
Vegan-certified spirits sales share 12% in 2023
Interpretation
Market Sales and Revenue Interpretation
While the UK's spirit remains unbroken, its drinking habits are increasingly sophisticated, with the nation soberly splashing out on premium gin and tequila at home, even as vodka gets left on the shelf and ready-to-drink cocktails explode onto the scene.
05 · Category
Production Statistics30 stats
01
In 2022, UK spirits production reached 1,856 million litres, a 4.7% increase from 2021 driven by whisky output
02
Scotch whisky distilleries produced 1,345 million litres of pure alcohol in 2022, up 12% year-on-year
03
There were 142 operational malt whisky distilleries in Scotland as of 2023
04
UK gin production hit 73 million litres in 2022, representing 28% of total spirits output
05
Vodka production in the UK totalled 189 million litres in 2022, down 2.1% from previous year
06
Rum production volume in the UK was 45.6 million litres in 2022
07
The number of UK spirits distilleries grew to 410 in 2023, a 15% rise since 2019
08
Single malt Scotch whisky production was 845,000 hectolitres of pure alcohol in 2022
09
Craft gin distilleries in England numbered 315 in 2023, producing 12.5 million litres
10
Brandy and liqueurs production reached 56 million litres in 2022
11
UK whisky maturation stock stood at 28.3 billion litres of pure alcohol in 2022
12
New gin distilleries opened at a rate of 25 per year in 2022-2023
13
Total UK spirits output value was £4.2 billion in 2022
14
Scotch blended whisky production was 1,200 million litres in 2022
15
Welsh spirits production grew 18% to 2.1 million litres in 2022
16
English whisky distilleries produced 1.8 million litres in 2023, up from 1.2 in 2021
17
Investment in new UK distilleries totalled £450 million in 2022
18
Bio-ethanol from spirits production was 120 million litres in 2022
19
Premium gin production segment grew 22% to 35 million litres in 2022
20
Total active stills in UK spirits distilleries numbered 1,250 in 2023
21
Organic spirits production reached 8.4 million litres in 2022
22
Low/no alcohol spirits production surged 45% to 4.2 million litres in 2022
23
Highland Scotch whisky output was 450 million litres in 2022
24
Islay malt distilleries produced 65 million litres of pure alcohol in 2022
25
Speyside region hosted 52 active distilleries producing 700 million litres in 2023
26
UK rum distilleries increased to 28 in 2023, output 12% higher
27
Tequila alternative spirits production started with 1.2 million litres in 2022
28
Cider spirits by-product distillation yielded 15 million litres in 2022
29
Sustainable packaging in production covered 65% of output in 2023
30
AI-optimized distillation processes adopted by 40% of distilleries in 2023
Interpretation
Production Statistics Interpretation
Despite a slight sobering in vodka production, the UK spirits industry is clearly intoxicated with growth, as evidenced by the soaring number of distilleries, a whisky maturation stockpile large enough to drown a small nation, and a gin scene so prolific that 25 new distilleries a year can barely keep up with our thirst.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Uk Spirits Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-spirits-industry-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Uk Spirits Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/uk-spirits-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Uk Spirits Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-spirits-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
65 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level