Home » UK Business News » Virgin Wines says customers will socialise at home rather than in pubs

Virgin Wines says customers will socialise at home rather than in pubs

By Nagasunder in UK Business News, posted October 30, 2022

Virgin Wines has predicted shoppers will host more social gatherings at home instead of going to pubs as the cost of living crisis bites.

In its annual report, the online wine retailer stated that it was "conscious" of the potential impact of budget cuts.

Profits before tax increased to £5.1 million in the year to July 2022, up from £1.7 million the previous year, as the company added 105000 new customers, 5 percent more than expected.

Group revenue fell from £73.6 million to £69.2 million year on year which is still 63 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels three years ago.

Virgin Wines chief executive Jay Wright said: “Despite widely documented macroeconomic challenges and consumer uncertainty, Virgin Wines has continued to show its resilience and strong positioning in the direct-to-consumer online wine retail sector.

“Our business model and disciplined approach to new customer acquisitions have enabled us to retain much of the substantial growth achieved during the Covid-19 lockdowns, with almost one million cases sold in FY22, and we remain market-leading both in terms of our customer proposition and our profitability.”

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Virgin Wines provided an update on recent trading, stating that a strong August was followed by a weak September.

This is due to the national period of mourning following Her Majesty the Queen's death.

Wright said: “We remain confident in the fundamentals of our business, with our emphasis on commercial opportunities through new and expanded strategic partnerships already delivering significant benefits. Our focus on high-quality, exclusive wines and award-winning service to our loyal customers will continue to be our key priority.”

Source: Retail Gazette

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