Hit back now at off-trade prices

Licensees have been encouraged to rise above the supermarkets' latest Christmas price-cutting beer binge.

With three weeks until Christmas, supermarkets such as Sainsbury's are already selling packs of 24 cans of Carlsberg for £9.99, leading to unrest in the trade.

However, senior figures in the trade and licensees have labelled these prices as "grotesque" and are encouraging pubs to aspire to the highest retail standards to tempt drinkers out of the home and into the pub over the Christmas period.

"The level of pricing and promotion in supermarkets is now grotesque," said Simon Townsend, chief operating officer for Enterprise Inns.

"There is something quite unethical about the fact that alcohol is being sold for this price and once it leaves the supermarket it immediately enters an unregulated environment.

"The whole proposition pubs offer is completely different."

Tony Brookes, managing director of the Head of Steam Pub Company, called on pubs to appeal to their communities. "We need a military-style marketing campaign to combat supermarkets," he said. "You have to play on the loyalty your customers will have for your pub."

BII licensee of the year Richard Macey, of the Fountain Inn in Clent, Worcestershire, said pubs needed to focus on their customer service offer to compete. "You can't get atmosphere on a supermarket shelf. You can't get camaraderie on a supermarket shelf. As an industry we have got to have a big push forward with customer service and quality," he said.

Paul Howarth, retail director at Blackburn brewer Daniel Thwaites, said: "Forget about price. Focus on the sociability of pubs and the safety of pubs, particularly in communities."

"Plus I think there's a real opportunity in the period between Christmas and New Year, when people aren't sure where to spend their free time."

Martyn Gray, commercial director at Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises, said: "Licensees need to communicate their opening times, have a good food offer and make the most of their draught beers and cask ales."

Supermarkets' continuing desire to cut prices is beginning to have a big impact on brewers. Brewing giant Anheuser-Busch has warned that the shift in sales to the low-margin off-trade sector has hit its UK profits.

How are you combating supermarket prices? Let us know on 020 7955 3715 or email adamw@thepublican.com

5 ways to stay ahead of the supermarkets over Christmas​​

1. Don't discount! It will undermine your business.

2. Make your pub the centre of community celebrations

3. Focus on creating the very things supermarkets can't offer - sociability and atmosphere

4. Make the most of your draught beer offering - beer out of a can just isn't the same!

5. Offer ways to get customers back into the pub in the New Year