Are Smoking Bans Killing the Beer Industry?
Chris claims that the British lager is dead. Maybe he’s right. But is there something more happening?
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) reports that UK beer sales have fallen through the five billion litre mark for the first time since 1975. This represents a decline of 1.7% for the year. And yes, the biggest decline was in the premium lager segment where sales fell 2%.
The volume of beer sold through pubs in the UK has hit its lowest level since the Great Depression of the 1930s - yep, the Great Depression. Sales in the whole of the UK beer market are down 22% since 1979.
What do those numbers mean? According to the BBPA, local pubs are hurting. They cite statistics that 27 pubs per week are closing - a total of more than 1200 over the past year (yes, their math is a bit fuzzy - I get 1404, but po-tay-toh, po-tah-toh).
Why this sharp downturn now? The BBPA blames a poor economy and the smoking ban in Britain’s pubs and brewers.
Which makes me think - what would it take for you to stop visiting your local bar? Has the economy affected your drinking habits? Or the smoking bans? Take our poll in the sidebar - and tell us what you think: are smoking bans killing our bars? Then, sound off below!
(Image: Newscom)
Tags: beer, British Beer and Pub Association, lager, pubs, smoking, smoking ban, UK
1 opinion for Are Smoking Bans Killing the Beer Industry?
Angela MOrgan
Jun 24, 2008 at 4:05 pm
The pubs have no atmosphere at all anymore. All the characters that used to come in to the local pub are staying home in order to smoke and drinking with friends.
My local is so quiet now that they have suspended all the disco’s because there is not enough people to warrant paying the DJ and getting the extra staff in to serve.
The Government should have given the choice to the landlord as to whether their pub should be smoking or non smoking. We are supposed to be a civilized country where freedom of choice is our right.
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