According to SIBA, demand for independent beer remains resilient but issues surrounding access to market and misleading branding persist.
New YouGov data found that 75% of people surveyed believe consumers are being misled when purchasing beer from once independent craft breweries such as Beavertown, Camden and Fullers which are now owned by global beer manufacturers Heineken, Budweiser and Asahi respectively.
Of those surveyed, 40% thought Neck Oil was independent – higher than genuinely independent breweries such as Vocation, Fyne Ales and Five Points.
The research was commissioned by SIBA as part of the launch of the Indie Beer mark, which will be used on beer pumpclips, cans and bottle labels to identify beers as being produced by a UK independent brewery. The campaign also includes a new online ‘beer checker’ tool.
The Indie Beer campaign is open to all independent UK breweries and is supported by consumer and industry organisations such as Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), British Institute of Innkeepers and the Independent Family Brewers of Britain.
‘More choice than ever’
“Support for local independent brewers has never been stronger and in 2024 we’ve seen independent brewing volumes return to pre-Covid levels,” said SIBA chief executive Andy Slee.
“People want to support smaller independent businesses, but when buying these beers they’re actually spending their money with global beer giants. There is more choice than ever when buying beer, but it can be really hard to know what’s the real deal – so we have launched the Indie Beer checker to make it really quick and simple for people to see whether the beer they’re buying is brewed by a genuine independent brewer or actually owned by a global beer giant.”
Meanwhile, CAMRA chair Ash Corbett-Collins added: “We know that finding independent and local beer is often a top priority for our members and beer drinkers across the UK. It’s great that SIBA are committed to transparent communication about ownership in beer.
“Unfortunately, we often see global brewers market their own brands as if they were independent, tricking consumers in the process. It is vital that consumers have access to the right information about where their beer is being brewed, and whether it’s in independent ownership.”
In other news, the Competition and Markets Authority has launched a phase 1 investigation into the proposed acquisition of Britvic by Carlsberg.
