 Success was attributed to an excellent marketing campaign , and being the first canned ale to be sold with a widget after Guinness . In 1997 Boddingtons sales peaked , and 1998 saw a drop in sales of 10 per cent . Boddingtons had been turned into : " a fashion product ... and as with all fashion products , the drinkers moved on " . In 1998 production of the Flowers ale brands was moved to Strangeways . Boddingtons ' share of the UK ale market grew to 4 @.@ 9 per cent in 1998 @-@ 1999 , and sales grew by 7 @.@ 3 percent during 1999 @-@ 2000 . 
