M&S celebrates 40 years of canned cocktails with retro G&T, new tequila mixes and UK tinnie trends research

Marks & Spencer is marking the 40^th anniversary of launching the UK’s first supermarket canned cocktail by releasing a limited-edition retro St Michael Gin & Tonic alongside several new ready-to-drink products, with the milestone accompanied by nationwide research into Britain’s regional tinnie preferences published this week.

The retailer first introduced canned cocktails to British high streets in May 1986 and now sells more than 15 million each year – the equivalent of one every second. To coincide with the anniversary, M&S has commissioned research, titled The United Tin-dom, examining which canned cocktails are most popular across different parts of the country.

According to the findings, the Mojito is the top-selling tinnie in 28% of UK regions, including Bristol and Bath, East Anglia and the West Midlands, as well as North, South and East London. The Piña Colada leads in several southern areas, including Essex, Southampton, the Isle of Wight and South Wales, and also tops the rankings in parts of Scotland such as Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.

Spritz-style serves are gaining ground in the north of England and Scotland, accounting for the top spot in nearly a quarter of UK regions. The Hugo Spritz is the leading cocktail in Manchester, Liverpool, Merseyside and western Scotland, while the Limoncello Spritz tops the rankings in Leeds, Newcastle, the North East and South Yorkshire. In Northern Ireland, the Pink Passion Star Martini ranks first, followed by the Strawberry Daiquiri.

Despite shifting tastes, the Extra Dry Gin & Tonic remains the UK’s overall best-selling canned cocktail. Sales of the product rose by 24% in 2019 after the drink appeared in the BBC series Fleabag. The G&T is also the most popular tinnie sold at transport hubs, which account for 34% of all M&S canned cocktail sales. The limited-edition anniversary Gin & Tonic, priced at £2.50, features packaging based on the original St Michael archive design and contains two measures of extra dry gin with tonic water.

The anniversary launches come amid changing consumer drinking habits. M&S reports that tequila sales are up 50% year on year, while margarita sales have risen 75%. In response, the retailer is introducing a Tequila & Tonic (£2.50), a Tequila Spritz with Grapefruit (£2.50) and The Marksologist Tequila Selection three-pack (£10), which contains a Blood Orange Margarita, a Classic Margarita and a Pink Grapefruit Paloma. Other additions to the range include The Marksologist Peach Bourbon Smash (£3.50) and an Alcohol-Free Lime Margarita (£2). 

Jenny Rea, lead product developer for cocktails at M&S Food, said: “We know the nation loves a cocktail in a can and it’s safe to say our tinnies have achieved cult status over the last four decades. It’s great to see that the Gin & Tonic is still going strong 40 years after we launched it, however The United Tin-dom research also really shows just how much tastes have evolved since the 80s. I’m particularly excited to see how our new tequila-based tinnies go down with shoppers this summer, given that tequila continues to be a massive trend in cocktails.”

She added: “Spritz cocktails have completely taken off in the past year, with newer serves like Hugo and Limoncello quickly becoming go-to favourites across the UK, especially in the North. As a proud northerner myself, I was especially pleased to see the Limoncello Spritz coming out on top in Leeds – it’s a great example of how these lighter, fresher flavours are catching on.”

Food Desk

The full canned cocktail range is available now in all M&S Foodhalls and online via Marks & Spencer and Ocado.