Pub or offie?

Where do UK drinkers buy their beer? 

Historically, it was overwhelmingly in pubs. Before WW II, When the number of standalone off-licences was relatively small, even beer for home consumption was often purchased in pubs. Sometimes in bottled form, but often draught beer filled into jugs. 

Children were often sent to fetch the beer, despite being underage. This was allowed as long as a seal was put on the jug to prevent illicit sipping on the way home. My mother did this as a girl, fetching a pint of Old and Mild for her mum. But I digress.

After 1960, the number of off-licences increase rapidly, doubling by 2000. While, at the same time, the number of pubs has decreased. Which has shifted the balance between on- and off-licences considerably. S you can see in the first table.

As recently as 1980, not far short of 90% of beer sales were in pubs. That's been in decline ever since. But it was only in 2015 that a majority of sales were in offies.

Obviously, there was a big drop in pub sales during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. Since when pub sales have increased a bit. The latest figure of 42% pub sales is still quite impressive compared to most other countries. Where a far higher percentage of beer is sold in shops rather than bars. 

Pubs and off licences 1905 - 2000
Date	Total Pubs	Off Licences	total	% pubs	% off licences
1905	99,478	25,405	124,883	79.66%	20.34%
1910	92,484	24,438	116,922	79.10%	20.90%
1920	83,432	22,198	105,630	78.99%	21.01%
1930	77,605	22,125	99,730	77.82%	22.18%
1940	73,365	21,884	95,249	77.02%	22.98%
1950	73,483	23,532	97,015	75.74%	24.26%
1960	69,184	23,670	92,854	74.51%	25.49%
1970	64,702	27,910	92,612	69.86%	30.14%
1980	67,091	37,252	104,343	64.30%	35.70%
1991	74,299	47,944	122,243	60.78%	39.22%
2000	77,876	45,450	123,326	63.15%	36.85%
Sources:
1924 – 1972: The Brewers' Society Statistical handbook 1973”, page 50.
1973 - 2010 2011 Statistical Handbook of the BBPA, page 74
"Brewers' Almanack 1971", page 83.

Location of UK beer sales (%)
Year	on sales	off sales
1980	87.7	12.3
1985	83.0	17.0
1986	81.6	18.4
1987	80.7	19.3
1988	80.1	19.9
1989	79.6	20.4
1990	79.6	20.4
1990	78.5	21.5
1991	77.7	22.3
1992	76.7	23.3
1993	75.4	24.6
1994	74.5	25.5
1995	72.6	27.5
1996	72.0	28.0
1999	68.1	31.9
2000	67.6	32.4
2001	65.7	34.3
2002	63.6	36.4
2003	61.7	38.3
2004	60.4	39.6
2005	59.4	40.6
2006	57.9	42.1
2007	56.5	43.5
2008	54.2	45.8
2009	53.8	46.2
2010	51.9	48.1
2011	52.4	47.6
2012	52.4	47.6
2013	50.7	49.3
2014	50.0	50.0
2015	49.1	50.9
2016	48.4	51.6
2017	46.9	53.1
2018	46.0	54.0
2019	45.0	55.0
2020	23.6	76.4
2021	30.7	69.3
2022	41.3	58.7
2023	41.9	58.1
2024	42.1	57.9
Source:
BBPA Statistical Handbook 2025, page 14.