Price hike on pints of Guinness blasted as ‘bad news’ for pubs

Pub-goers will pay an extra 12c for a pint of Guinness from February 1.

Calls for owner Diageo to reconsider the price increases on pints have been made by publicans “who are getting hammered from every angle at the moment.”

“Following the increase in Heineken prices in December, this is the second major price increase our members are having to deal with in a few short weeks,” said VFI Chief Executive Paul Clancy.

"Publicans are getting hammered from every angle at the moment and this news from Diageo is a further blow to the trade.

“We’re heading into the quietest few months of the year for the trade so the increase in the price of a pint couldn’t come at a worse time.

"Due to the unprecedented cost of doing business publicans will have to pass on this price increase to their customers, which is something they are very unhappy about,” he said.

Beverage company Diageo also produces Harp and Smithwick’s – recently announced the 12c hike per pint before VAT.

"The trade can’t keep taking these hits on what appears to be an almost weekly basis,” Mr Clancy added.

"The VFI is calling on Diageo to reconsider its decision in light of the pressures on the pub trade.”

Diageo recently announced that it could no longer “absorb” the costs that inflation was putting on operations.

“Like many businesses in Ireland, we are facing significant inflation in input costs across our operations,” it said in an announcement.

“We have absorbed these costs for as long as possible but unfortunately, we can no longer continue to do so.”

The company also owns popular brands like Tanqueray, Bailey’s Smirnoff and Captain Morgan.

Heineken already saw a price hike on pints in November and revealed it was forced to add 17c due to “unprecedented cost increases.”