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Brewery told to rename its ‘Pint’ beer because the cans are too small
A UK brewery has been told to rename one of its beers, “Pint”, because the cans it is sold in are 68ml short.
500ml of Pint. pic.twitter.com/JcKPVqdZUI
— Marble Brewery (@marblebrewers) August 30, 2017
Trading Standards reached out to Manchester brewer Marble in June 2017 after it started selling Pint in 500ml cans.
The watchdog said it contacted Marble after receiving a complaint surrounding the beer’s labelling.
Manchester City Council then wrote to Marble in December, confirming that “a reporter” contacted the service, complaining about the misleading signage.
Marble Beer director Jan Rogers posted a photo of the letter to Twitter, adding: “Thanks to Manchester City Council and whoever chose to report the matter.”
“Beer called 500ml (cans only) coming soon.”
Spoke too soon about ‘Pintgate’ disappearing up it’s own fundament. Happy Xmas @ManCityCouncil & whoever chose to report the matter. Beer called 500ml coming soon (cans only) pic.twitter.com/LOmkdr8ygg
— Jan Rogers (@jan_marble) December 21, 2017
In the letter, a council official said that the watchdog’s focus group “was unanimous in the opinion that calling a can containing 500ml of liquid ‘Pint’ could be considered misleading.”
“Additionally, there could be possible offences under the Weights and Measurements Act by virtue of the Food Consumers Regulation in respect of misleading net quantity.”
Marble has been making Pint beer — a 3.9% session ale — since 2009, but only came under fire after Trading Standards received a complain about the cans last year.
Manchester beer blogger Jim Cullen told the Manchester Evening News that the row seemed “very strange.”
“Judging on the comment by the council, it has happened because of one complaint.
“Now Marble will have to go to great lengths to change the packaging and branding – probably at a substantial cost.
“They are a key, iconic Manchester brewery who produce great beer.
“People should be supporting small local businesses like theirs.”
the drinks business has reached out to Marble for comment.
Jim Cullen it is misleading, just because it might be good beer doesn’t mean the company should get away with it where others have to abide by the rules. I’m all up for supporting small businesses but there are rules and the company appears to be be misleading joe public whether consciously or not. Fancy launching a beer and no one thought to check that ‘Pint’ had a pint in it,
Jimmy: do you genuinely think anyone is going to be conned into buying this beer because of its name? It’s like complaining that the pound cake you bought in the baker’s only weighs 440 grams.
Agree Martyn. Life’s too short for this nonsense, do people not have anything better to do?
It is logical that a pint of beer is a standard term for a beer measurement and a beer can with the word pint on it would imply that it is a pint. I agree that they should re-name the beer or sell it in a can which holds a pint. One good thing about Brexit, perhaps, is that the English can go back to selling things in lbs and oz instead of grams and kilograms without breaking the EU laws.
Seriously? Is that why you voted for Brexit? Sad!