HEINEKEN UK has reported a standout summer for its fast-growing apple cider brand, Inch’s Cider, with sales spiking across key seasonal moments including the May bank holiday weekend and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The UK cider category is now worth £1.18bn2, with Inch’s Cider achieving an 18%3 value and 19%4 volume increase, compared to last year. Cider consistently over-trades during the warmer months, and Inch’s continued growth has been driven by fresh innovation and its apple-y, premium apple-cider choices built for summer occasions.
Across the Inch’s portfolio, Inch’s Medium Apple Cider led brand sales, with its 4-pack and 10-pack formats up 19.4% and 15.1%5 respectively. 15-packs were also a key driver, with sales up by 42.4%6 as consumers stocked up for larger gatherings. Inch’s 0.0, the only dealcoholised cider in the UK, continues to tap into the demand for credible, premium low- and no- alcohol options, with performance up by 270%7 YoY.
Inch’s Cloudy, launched in 2025 to recruit new shoppers to the cider aisle, has also gained strong traction, with 4-pack sales up 59.2%8 year on year. Since its launch, Inch’s Cloudy has delivered £11.2m in value sales9 and recruited over 96.6k10 incremental shoppers to the mainstream apple cider Off-Trade category.
Following an exciting first year, Inch’s Cider is continuing to build momentum for Inch’s Cloudy with a digital activation designed to drive sales and repeat purchase. This activation is supported by a digital campaign from the Hashting platform, where shoppers can claim back the cost of an Inch’s Cloudy 4-pack, helping to recruit new shoppers and continue to appeal to existing customers who know and love the great taste of Inch’s Cloudy.
Summer trading underlined the strength of Inch’s Cider’s seasonal appeal. The final May bank holiday kick-started a strong season for the brand, driving an 86.9%11 year on year sales uplift. Inch’s Cider also proved popular during a packed summer of sport, with volume up 74.6%12 on 27th June, the day of England’s first game against Panama, and up 30.6%13 when England played Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Max Wainwright, Cider Brand Director at HEINEKEN UK, says: “We’re incredibly proud to see that Inch’s Cider has been driving significant value for retailers this year, especially during the summer when we’ve experienced some fantastic weather, and sporting events. As consumers continue to enter the cider category, Inch’s continues to explore opportunities to build on its growth and become a standout brand, making it front of mind for shoppers when in-store. Outside of our innovation, we’re continuing to offer support to retailers through our offers and activations, ensuring that they can boost cider sales all year round.”
Retailers can find out more about how to maximise their cider category sales by visiting HEINEKEN UK’s Star Retailer platform at www.starretailer.co.uk/. The Star Retailer scheme is an acclaimed, industry-acknowledged loyalty scheme providing beer and cider category guidance tailored for convenience stores. The scheme encourages the development of a profitable and trending beer and cider range and offers rewards which increase based on their level of participation.
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