US spirits sales in the country’s control states “rebounded” in September, helped by the timing of the Labor Day holiday, newly released figures show.
Volume sales rose 3.2% to just over five million nine-litre cases, contributing to a 1.4% increase in dollar sales to $1.05bn.
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The National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA), which compiles the data, said the results were helped by sales over the Labor Day weekend.
“Control state results rebounded in September, aided by the timing of the Labor Day holiday, which fell in September this year compared with August in the prior year,” NABCA said.
The NABCA figures captures sales in 18 territories. TD Cowen estimates the data accounts for 20-25% of spirits sales in the US. Investment bank TD Cowen believes the figures provide a more accurate reflection of the category compared to Nielsen as it measures supplier depletions. The numbers also capture on-premise sales.
By category, the September figures were “mixed”, the association said.
Cocktails, led by canned RTDs, continued to prosper, with sales up 23.1% to $47.3m on a 28.6% increase in case sales to 610,691. Over the 12 months to the end of September, cocktails sales increased 22% to $504.8m. Case sales climbed 23% to just over 6.1m cases.
Cachaça, cordials and Tequila also enjoyed higher volumes in September than a month earlier.
Tequila volume sales increased more than 9%, with dollar sales rising 4.6%.
However, Scotch whisky volumes declined by more than 4% and the two largest categories – vodka and domestic whiskey – also saw volumes fall year on year.
