Beer drinkers hit by 'double whammy' of paying more as brewers cut alcohol in ... trends now
British beer lovers are being hit by a 'double whammy' of paying more to get the 'same buzz' as brewers slash the strength of booze - while pocketing millions of pounds saved on tax.
For months, major producers have been lowering the strength of their lagers to save cash as the Government prepares to raise taxes on alcohol by more than 10 per cent in August.
The move, dubbed 'drinkflation', means shoppers have been unwittingly buying weaker ale while being charged the same - or more, with Carlsberg today becoming the latest brand to cut back on the alcohol content of its beers.
It comes as the average price of a pint has swelled 12 per cent since 2021, say the British Beer and Pub Association, despite popular brands like Foster's, Old Speckled Hen, Bishops Finger and Spitfire having lowered their alcohol by volume (ABV).
Now landlords have hit out at the plummeting strength of booze, as they warned of a fresh financial 'timebomb' that could drive punters away from pubs, potentially leaving boozers with no other option but to call last orders for a final time.
Ben Standford, who runs the George and Dragon Inn in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, said: 'It means customers are buying more product but they feel like they're being hit with a double whammy. They're not getting the same ABV they're used to and if they're trying to get the same buzz they're buying more product.'
Carlsberg became the latest brewer to reveal it was lowering alcohol content of its pilsner beer to take advantage of lower tax rates for weaker booze. It followed on from other larger and ale brands like Fosters, Bishops Finger, Old Speckled Hen and Spitfire which have also weakened their drinks
Ben Stanford (pictured) has been running the George and Dragon Inn in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, for two years but was worried about the impact of increasing booze prices
The married father-of-two added boozers have been struggling to keep their heads above water for years, following the Covid pandemic and the recent energy crisis.
The 41-year-old said the soaring price of booze, and the Government's tax rise on alcohol, was already having an effect on business.
'We're massively worried about the future,' he told MailOnline. 'We're not thinking about insolvency and chucking the keys in yet. But the next six or nine months will really be make or break.
'There's already a mortgage rate rise timebomb ticking away that will hit people's disposable income, which might mean they will be spending less.
'Now we have the duty increases.... There's no choice or control over it. It's going to hit our business costs. Ultimately, it's the customer that's penalised.'
Copenhagen-based brewer Carlsberg is reducing the strength of its Danish Pilsner from 3.8 per cent ABV to 3.4 per cent, reports the Telegraph.
Cutting the strength of its beer below 3.5 per cent will allow Carlsberg to take advantage of a new, lower tax rate for weaker drinks when alcohol duty rates change in August.
At the moment, all beers over 2.6 per cent in strength pay a 'general' rate. However, the new change will mean beers 3.4 per cent or less in strength will pay £9.27 per litre of alcohol in the product, compared to £21.01 for beers between 3.5 per cent and 8.5 per cent.
A spokesman for the brewer said: 'In line with the Government's Alcohol Duty Reforms, and as policy makers intended, reducing the abv of Carlsberg Danish Pilsner
