Brewers join forces to halt falling sales

Brewing industry giants have today joined forces in a major campaign called “Let there be beer”, which is aimed at trying to change the image of beer and arrest falling sales in the UK.

AB InBev, Heineken, Carlsberg, Molson Coors and SABMiller and dozens of other breweries have all invested in the multimillion pound campaign, which kicks off with new TV advertising on 29 June.

The alliance behind the Let there be beer campaign also includes pub businesses, retailers and organisations such as the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and Campaign for Real Ale.

The campaign aims to reignite the public’s love of beer and restore lagers, ales, bitters, pilsners and stouts firmly in the nation’s hearts whilst highlighting the significant role brewing plays in supporting the economy.

A spokesperson for Let there be beer said: “This coalition is a first for the brewing industry and we are united in our passion for beer. Let there be beer is a rallying cry to the nation to remember just how good it is to have a beer, getting Brits rediscovering beer all over again and giving it whirl on occasions which they might not have considered before.

“Let there be beer is on a mission to encourage a reappraisal of beer and will be focussing on demonstrating the diversity of the category, with a big focus on pairing beer with food.”

As well as the TV advertising the campaign will include a social media content programme, celebrity associations and broadcast partnerships, which includes sponsoring the Sunday Brunch programme on Channel 4.

Simon Cox, managing director of Molson Coors, said: “There is an ever more diverse selection of beers available in our pubs and supermarket shelves. We’ve seen the emergence of a more discerning beer drinker, a growth in micro-breweries, as well as increased availability of beer brands from all around the UK and the world. Two decades ago there were around 2,000 brands of beer on sale in the UK compared to more than 5,000 on sale today.

“Let there be beer is about instilling a passion for beer in the nation’s hearts and remind the nation why beer is the nation’s best-loved drink. But for many, beer simply means pints of warm, flat lager. That couldn’t be further from reality.”

The new campaign hopes to “bring lapsed drinkers back to beer” and comes in the wake of falling beer sales in UK pubs, which were down by almost 50 million pints in the first quarter of 2013, compared to the same period last year.