UK: Global brewers unite to back beer in Britain

The world's biggest brewers have teamed up to launch a campaign in the UK that aims to get drinkers in the country to go back to beer.

The “Let There Be Beer” push will launch on Saturday and includes TV spots, celebrity tie-ups, and social media content, organisers said today (27 June). It is backed by Heineken, SABMiller, Carlsberg, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors, a spokesperson for the campaign told just-drinks. 

Beer groups such as the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) are also supporting the campaign, along with retailers and publicans.

“This collaboration is a first for the brewing industry and we are united in our passion for beer,” campaign spokesperson Inge Plochaet said. “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 trying it on occasions which they might not have considered before.”

A spokesperson told just-drinks that initial funding for the campaign is from the five founding brewers. "They've invested a significant level of funding in the first year and are committed to a multi–year campaign," the spokesperson said.

A teaser trailer for the TV spot can be viewed above.

A report released last week showed that UK off-trade beer volumes dropped by 5% and sales by 3% over the previous 12 weeks.