Key facts
- Camra alleges big brewers mislead consumers about craft beer origins and credentials.
- Seven of the top 10 'craft beers' in the UK are produced by four global brewing conglomerates.
- Beers marketed as foreign imports, such as Madri, are brewed in the UK.
- Camra has requested the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) investigate the beer market for anti-competitive practices.
- The organization claims multinational breweries leverage ownership or deals to prioritize their products in pubs.
The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has accused major brewing companies of misleading consumers about the 'craft' status and geographical origins of their beer products. The organization has formally requested that the UK's Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) launch a review into the beer market, citing concerns that large multinational breweries are using anti-competitive tactics to sideline smaller, independent producers.
Camra's annual Beer in UK report highlights that seven of the top ten best-selling 'craft beers' in the UK are manufactured by just four global brewing conglomerates: Heineken (which owns Beavertown), ABInBev (Camden Town, Goose Island), Asahi (Meantime), and Molson Coors (Blue Moon). The report also points to examples like Madri, promoted as having 'the soul of Madrid,' which is actually brewed in Yorkshire by Molson Coors.
Ash Corbett-Collins, Camra's chair, stated that consumers are being 'short changed' and that independent brewers are being 'squeezed out' to the detriment of publicans and drinkers. Camra is urging the government to take action to support pubs and the communities they serve, and specifically wants the CMA to investigate alleged uncompetitive practices that restrict smaller rivals' access to pub taps. Asahi responded by stating they believe in a diverse market and clearly label brand ownership on packaging.