E-Malt.com News article: UK: Beer prices in pubs up by over 4%

The average cost of real ale has risen to 215p a pint, whilst the cost of a pint of lager has risen to 236p, according to a survey of pub prices released on June 8 by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. Over 1,000 pubs were surveyed. The surveying was carried out during February 2005.

Across the board the smallest price rises were seen for real ales from Britain’s small brewers where rises were only 2.4%.

CAMRA Chief Executive Mike Benner said, “Small brewers have shown restraint in their price rises and although the real ale they produce is slightly more expensive than those from the global brewers, drinkers should be happy to pay a little extra for quality handcrafted brews which are full of taste”.

Real ale remains excellent value, and is actually cheaper than mass-produced lagers. Mr Benner continued, “Real ale is a natural, living product and full of taste. The fact that lovingly produced real ale costs less than mass-produced lager means that real ale really is exceptional value for money.”

Real ale prices have increased by 9 pence (4.42%) to 215 pence a pint
Lager prices have increased by 11 pence (4.57%) to 236 pence a pint
Cheapest region was the North West where real ale cost 184 pence a pint and lager cost 211 pence
Dearest region was London where real ale cost 236 pence a pint and lager cost 254 pence
Scotland experienced the largest rise in the cost of real ale. Price of a pint rocketed by 8.07%
Wales experienced the largest rise in the cost of lager. Price of a pint rocketed by 5.55%

The surveying was carried out during February 2005. 1076 pubs were visited by our branches throughout the UK. The pubs were a mixture of managed, tenanted and free houses and pubs owned by brewers and pub companies. CAMRA has run an annual prices survey for the last 17 years. Details of past surveys are available from CAMRA.

The survey was carried out prior to the recent Budget. In that Budget of 16th March the Chancellor Gordon Brown raised excise duty by 2.6% by adding 1p to a pint of beer. When this filtered through to the bar it meant price rises of 5p to 10p. RPI, the most commonly used inflation measure, was 3.2% in the year to February 2005.


11 June, 2005