Guinness Price Hikes Anger UK Pubs Amid Soaring Demand for Stout
Pub owners in the UK are furious about recent price increases on Guinness kegs, blaming Diageo for unfair practices.
Guinness, Diageo, Price Hikes, Pubs, United Kingdom, Six Nations, Tariffs, Brexit, Trump
Guinness is still a favorite. Many fans will drink it during Six Nations games. Pubs worry about losing profit because of price jumps, which they call “unexplained.” A pub owner, Pauline Forster, can’t get answers about this from Diageo.
Anthony Pender owns Yummy Collection pubs. He said Guinness kegs rose by 37% since COVID, about £81 more. He says this hurts their profit, especially with staff wages, and thinks Diageo is damaging their own success.
Clive Price runs Barons Pub Company. He said Guinness was once seen as old-fashioned, but now it’s a very popular drink. He thinks Diageo raised prices because of that trend and have been increasing prices more than others.
Diageo claims Guinness prices are competitive, saying the average pint price is lower than other premium beers. They invested in the brand and pubs’ Guinness quality. Diageo says Guinness attracts customers for pubs.
Guinness sales grew by 13% recently. Diageo even used Irish backup stock to meet British demand. However, Diageo is worried about Trump’s import taxes on Canadian and Mexican goods, which threaten Diageo.
Tequila and whiskey profits could drop a lot, estimating a £161 million loss.