Beer Pint Prices Peak After 2022 World Cup to Now
The prices of beer since the last World Cup have gone up a shocking 36%. Local pubs and sports bars in the UK have had to increase their prices and here’s why.
Since the war in Ukraine, the energy bills have skyrocketed, causing pubs to have to increases their prices. Furthermore, the war has caused the cost of barley to go up, which is the most common and foundational grain to make beer with.
The Chancellor has also increased National Insurance Contributions which significantly affects those self-employed with a team of staff, like pub owners.
In the UK, two pubs close a day on average, according to the British Beer and Pub Association. In 2006, the cost of a pint of beer was just £2.41 on average. However, in 2022 the price had risen to £4.03 after the World Cup, but now the average is an astonishing £5.50 per pint.
The Food Foundation predicts that food in pubs will have risen by 50% from 2021 to the end of 2026.
The rise in beer is higher than the rise in inflation. In 2022, goods costing around £4.03 would cost around £4.70 now according to the Inflation Calculator. However, the cost of beer is now £5.50 which is a lot more. In 2030, it is predicted that the price of beer will be £6.93. When asked about if customers complained about the prices of beer, local bartender Lousie Wyatt said “yes, they regularly do”.
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The beer duty in England is much higher than in other countries, in England it being 54p and in France and Spain it being only the equivalent of 4p. Morrocco’s beer averages only 90p per pint which is significantly less than in the UK. Moreover, the VAT in is 20% in the UK. The VAT in other countries in Europe is significantly lower with 7% in Germany, 10% in France and in many US states, the USA it is less than 10%.
In other countries, beer and lager are cheaper, as some countries see beer as a necessity instead of a luxury. Furthermore, other countries produce a significant quantity of their beer, so they don’t have to pay import costs. Furthermore, the cost of living is also considerably lower in other countries and the alcohol tax that we are faced in the UK with either doesn’t exist or is very low in some countries as well.
Pub owners say that they don’t make any profit after paying their staff. Landlords blame the heavy tax burden on the humble British pint. Pub owners have even gone as far as making a league table for beer prices.
How People are getting around the price?
To counterattack the rise in prices, people are buying multipacks from supermarkets instead of going to pubs, but this is putting pubs out of business. Also, people are buying non-alcoholic beer which is a fair bit cheaper. Moreover, lots of pubs will make deals for the upcoming world cup as the pubs can be open longer into the night. These might include “buy one get one free” promotions. People are also abandoning their usual local drinking establishment for Weatherspoon’s, which by virtue of it being a large successful chain, can afford to sell beer cheaper and they bulk buy from big companies to get better deals
Reported by Theo K and Barney G