The owner of the famous brand Guinness has recently announced that the price of a pint of Guinness 0.0 is set to increase once again.
In what will come as bitterly disappointing news to both fans of the black stuff and publicans, the price of a pint of Guinness and a pint of Guinness 0.0 is set to rise once again.
According to the owner of Guinness, Diageo, price increases will also be applied to some of their other popular brands, such as Harp, Hop House 13, Carlsberg, Rockshore, and Smithwicks.
Given the fact that this is the most recent in a series of price hikes announced by Diageo in recent years, it has caused much ire and public outrage.
Price hike – one of many in recent years
This latest price hike comes after Diageo had already increased the price of a pint of Guinness by the equivalent of a staggering 16 cents, thanks to two separate price hikes enacted in 2023.
As part of its latest price increase, the company has officially confirmed that it intends to increase the price of Guinness by 6 cents per pint and the price of Guinness 0.0 by the higher amount of 9 cents per pint.
The 6c increase is also expected to impact their other brands, such as Harp, Carlsberg, Hop House 13, Rockshore, and Smithwicks.
The Vintners Federation of Ireland – unhappy with the recent price hikes
In a statement, the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) vented their frustration as they described the latest price increase as a “hammer blow” to the pub trade throughout the country.
They also called on the Government to take intervening action by asking them to reduce the hospitality VAT rate back to 9% as well as making reductions to PRSI and excise on alcohol, which must be done in their view if Ireland’s pub trade is to remain viable for publicans.
“The announcement by Diageo is not just disappointing; it’s a critical hit to an industry on the brink,” blasted VFI Chief Pat Crotty in his statement.
“Publicans have been navigating a storm of rising costs, including the increase in minimum wage, additional mandatory sick days, and the impending pension auto-enrolment scheme [and] this latest price hike is a blow they cannot afford”.
Diageo – a global leader in premium alcoholic drinks
In response to the backlash regarding the latest price increase, a Diageo spokesperson claimed that such increases were necessary due to “rising input costs across our Irish business operations”.
In a letter to publicans, they stated, “Retail pricing is at your discretion, and you remain free at all times to set the price of our products”.
The price hike is set to officially come into effect next month, starting on 15 April.
