by Ewan Turney
A top brewery executive has called for the weights and measures review currently under way in the UK to extend the range of glass sizes allowed to help create a "café culture" and reduce binge drinking.
Interbrew on-trade managing director Colin Pedrick said the review process, which was temporarily halted due to the election, represents a "real opportunity for the Government to adopt a more cohesive approach to promoting responsible drinking".
He said: "By working with the industry to introduce new drink sizes, whether that be two-thirds of a pint or other measures, we will be able to offer consumers more choice and flexibility around alcohol consumption, which can only be a good thing.
"The Government and the drinks industry would love to see a more Continental style of drinking in the UK, and introducing new weights and measures legislation would go a long way towards trying to change the drinking culture in this country."
The British Beer & Pub Asso-ciation (BBPA) is keen to see the introduction of a two-thirds measure to further broaden consumer choice. The organisation has been testing the popularity of one-third pint glasses, which formed an integral theme of its Beautiful Beer campaign launch-ed in March. The goal behind promoting the use of smaller stemmed glasses was to attract more women drinkers to beer.
Rumours had been circulating that since Trading Standards became involved in the review discussions, it looked likely that the one-third measure would be outlawed in a bid to simplify legislation. However, BBPA director of communications Mark Hastings said: "I don't see it happening. It is already a legal measure and the idea of the review is not to curtail legal measures but possibly to extend the range."
It remains unclear when the review will recommence or exactly who will take charge following the Department of Trade and Industry's renaming and revamping as the Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry.
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