Wetherspoons axes 'nation’s favourite' beer and swaps it for an Italian alternative
13 November 2024, 09:42
Wetherspoons pubs will stop selling a major beer brand sparking anger among some customers.
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Pub-goers have reacted with anger after the chain announced it will no longer serve the popular Spanish lager San Miguel.
The Italian beer Poretti will be served instead - at less than £4 a pint in most locations.
San Miguel was named the nation’s favourite beer in a YouGov poll from the start of October.
One angry customer wrote: “I will be protesting.” Another asked “Is this a joke?”
A third gave their view writing online: “Draught San Miguel is great but God Almighty Poretti is dreadful!”
However some customers were a fan of the change, with one saying “Poretti is so much better.”
Speaking about the end of the license deal, CMBC chief executive Paul Davies said: “Naturally, we are disappointed by the decision, and are working to mitigate the impact on our business.
“We are incredibly proud of our many achievements over more than 15 years with MSM, massively driving distribution and significantly growing San Miguel brand volume.”
After the Labour Budget, Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin warned that price rises at the pub chain were likely.
He said: “Cost inflation, which had jumped to elevated levels in 2022, slowly abated in the following two years, but has now jumped substantially again following the Budget.
“All hospitality businesses, we believe, plan to increase prices, as a result."
