Tequila is fast emerging as one of the standout drinks trends of the summer, with retailers, pubs and restaurants all reporting surging demand as shoppers swap the classic G&T for margaritas and tequila-based serves.

Gin and tonic has long been the go-to summer drink for British consumers, but tequila is now making a serious play for its crown.

Fresh consumer data suggests the spirit is enjoying a sharp rise in popularity in the UK, helped by the runaway success of spicy margaritas, growing interest in premium serves and a wave of innovation across retail shelves.

Marks & Spencer has identified tequila as its hottest spirit for the season, with sales up 50 per cent year on year and margarita sales jumping 75 per cent. The retailer is responding by launching a canned tequila and tonic, alongside a new range of premium “sipping tequilas”, in a move that underlines how quickly the category is moving from niche to mainstream.

Canned cocktails look set to play a big role in that shift. Ready-to-drink brands such as Moth and BuzzBallz have helped introduce more shoppers to tequila-based serves, particularly spicy margaritas, while retailers are now moving to expand their own offer to meet that appetite.

The trend also highlights broader changes in consumer behaviour. Shoppers may be drinking less overall, but many are trading up when they do buy alcohol, favouring quality, convenience and more distinctive flavours. That has helped tequila carve out space not only as a party shot, but as a more aspirational warm-weather drink.

Operators across hospitality are already seeing the impact. Margaritas are among the bestselling cocktails in pubs, restaurants and bars, with spicy and citrus-led twists proving especially popular. Simpler long drinks such as tequila with soda, tonic or ginger beer are also gaining traction, suggesting consumers are becoming more comfortable with the spirit in more everyday formats.

Celebrity-backed brands have also helped push tequila further into the mainstream. High-profile names such as Casamigos have given the category added visibility and arguably made it feel more premium and accessible to UK drinkers.

With imports of tequila into the UK also rising strongly, the momentum behind the category looks more than a passing fad. If demand continues at its current pace, tequila could become one of the season’s biggest grocery success stories.

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