CAMRA backs SIBA’s Indie Beer campaign
SIBA announced the new initiative on Tuesday (22 October) that offers non-global beer brewers the chance to show its drinks are made by a truly independent business.
The Indie Beer campaign includes a ‘brewery checker’ so consumers can find out if a brewer is independently owned, and an ‘assured’ mark for brewers to use to show their independence.
CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins said: “CAMRA is delighted to be supporting SIBA’s Indie Beer campaign.
“We know that finding independent and local beer is often a top priority for our members and beer drinkers across the UK.
Transparent communication
“It’s great that SIBA is committed to transparent communication about ownership in beer.
“Unfortunately, we often see global brewers market their own brands as if they were independent, tricking consumers in the process.
“It is vital that consumers have access to the right information about where their beer is being brewed, and whether it’s in independent ownership.”
SIBA cited YouGov survey statistics that showed 75% of people believe consumers are being misled when purchasing beer from once-independent craft breweries, such as Beavertown, Camden and Fuller’s, which are now owned by global beer giants Heineken, Budweiser and Asahi respectively.
Strong demand
SIBA chief executive Andy Slee exclusively told The Morning Advertiser: “There is strong demand for beer from independent breweries but this consumer surveying shows there is confusion as to which brewers are genuinely independent and which are owned by globals.
“This campaign is about ensuring your customers who want to buy beer from local independent breweries are making an informed choice.”
Some 40% of people surveyed thought Neck Oil (from Beavertown) was a beer from an independent brewery – higher than genuinely independent breweries such as Vocation, Fyne Ales and Five Points.
The research was commissioned as part of the Indie Beer campaign launch, which will be used on beer pump clips, cans and bottle labels to identify beers as being produced by a genuine UK independent brewery.
