Beer ordering is on the rise ahead of July Fourth—75% of alcohol drinkers celebrating Independence Day plan to purchase beer, according to a consumer insights survey from Numerator.

According to the June Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) from the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), beer distributors reported the highest June ordering levels in three years as retailers prep for the holiday.

Five out of seven measured segments saw equal or increased year-over-year ordering. Imports remained at the top with its sixth reading at 70 or above in the past 24 months—the only segment to reach that mark during the time period. The other four categories were premium light beer, below premium beer, flavored malt beverages and seltzers and cider.

The craft beer and regular premium beer segments saw contraction.

According to the Numerator survey, 94% of consumers plan to make a purchase for the Fourth of July, with food items being the most popular (83% plan to purchase), followed by alcoholic beverages (48%). Beer is the preferred alcoholic beverage for Independence Day. Among those who plan to purchase alcohol, beer is the top choice (75% plan to buy), followed by spirits or spirit-based drinks (40%), wine (38%) and hard seltzers or canned cocktails (35%).

In 2023, alcohol saw a 10.2% sales increase in the two-week lead-up to Independence Day.

Beer remains a driver for in-store sales. Get a deep dive on the category in the April issue of NACS Magazine.