Volume sales of Tennent’s rebounded during the six months to the end of August as Scotland’s leading beer brand benefitted from the full reopening of bars and restaurants from last year’s lockdown restrictions.

Glasgow-based Tennent’s, which is owned by Ireland’s C&C Group, recorded an 8.8 per cent increase compared to the same period a year earlier as on-trade sales soared by 53%.

The brand lost some share in both the on-trade and off-trade channels, with sales through pubs and restaurants 2.1 percentage points lower than a year earlier at 35.8% of the market by volume. Off-trade sales through supermarkets and shops stood at 23%, down from 24.3% a year earlier.

READ MORE: Tennent's owner hopes for 'more normal' Christmas as costs soar

C&C said share losses in the off-trade have narrowed in the latest three months. It also noted that despite these losses, Tennent’s volume sales still beat those of its two closest competitors by 20%.

C&C manufactures, markets and distributes branded beer, cider, wine, spirits, and soft drinks across the UK and Ireland. It supplies some 30,000 pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels through its Matthew Clark, Bibendum, Bulmers and Tennent’s brands, the latter of which is based at Wellpark in Glasgow.

Chief executive David Forde said the group is looking forward to its first unrestricted Christmas trading period for three years. This and the upcoming FIFA World Cup will “hopefully mitigate” against the squeeze on consumers’ finances caused by the cost-of-living crisis.