Third pint rise in 18 months leaves us crying into our beer
THE price of a pint is now 22 cent dearer than a year ago – if publicans pass on the extra costs from breweries.
Diageo announced yesterday that the price of a pint is to increase for the third time in 18 months.
The company sent out a letter to publicans on Monday informing them that the increase will come into effect from April 15 and will apply to all its draught products.
These include: Guinness, Guinness 0.0, Hop House 13, Harp, Rockshore, Smithwicks and Carlsberg.
The price adjustment will add six cent to a pint and nine cent to a pint of Guinness 0.0.
In February 2023, they increased prices by 12 cent and in July they rose by a further four cents.
It is the first time Guinness 0.0 prices have increased since the non-alcoholic beverage was launched in 2021.
Many pub owners are now expected to raise the price of pints due to the most recent hike, along with the increase in the minimum wage.
The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) said this is the latest ‘hammer blow’ to the pub trade and underlines the need for the Government to introduce supports for a sector experiencing ‘unprecedented costs pressures’.
Offaly publican Gerard Hough, who sells a pint of Guinness for €5, told the Irish Daily Mail that it’s disappointing he will now have to raise costs.
However, he said many Irish people are often obsessed over the price of a pint. ‘Everything is gone up, but nobody seems to know the cost of anything besides a pint. A pound of butter is nearly €5 now, but you would never hear anyone talk about it.
‘The pint is almost intrinsically linked to people’s identity. It’s almost comparable to what band you obsessed over when you were a teen.’
Speaking from JJ Houghs pub in Banagher, Mr Hough added that he hopes customers will understand.
‘I didn’t raise the cost of Guinness during the last price hike but unfortunately it looks like I will have to this time around. It’s just the way things have gone.’
VFI chief Pat Crotty said: ‘The announcement by Diageo is not just disappointing, it’s a critical hit to an industry on the brink. The Government must come forward with support measures for the trade as the Increased Cost of Doing Business grant, while welcome, is not an adequate response,’ he said.
The VFI is calling for a reduction in excise, a return to the 9% VAT rate for pubs serving food, and a reduction in employer’s PRSI.
A Diageo spokesman said: ‘We continue to experience rising input costs across our Irish business operations. In order to offset this, we have advised our on-trade customers that there will be an increase to the list prices on our full draught product range. This includes Guinness which will increase by the equivalent of 0.06 per pint or €5.28 per 50 litre keg.
‘It’s linked to people’s identity’