Handpump HIJACK

Big brewers’ plan to mislead consumers

For generations, a handpump on the bar has been a sign of quality. Where cask is well kept, consumers can be sure of a spotless cellar, well-trained bar staff and a commitment to offering the best of UK brewing.

Now, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company – one of the world’s largest brewery conglomerates – has resorted to misleading consumers by hijacking the handpump to serve its “Fresh Ale” product. CMBC says this is “preserving the beloved hand pull ritual that delivers the traditional theatre of serve that ale is famed for”.

CAMRA believes consumers deserve better than CMBC play acting at serving cask – a product they claim to champion while closing breweries and removing cask lines from bars. Our handpump hijack campaign calls on brewers to be proud of all their whole range of beers by serving them in a way that won’t mislead their customers.

Labelling

Consumers deserve to know what they’re getting Labelling for beer, cider and perry isn’t always transparent, making it hard to know what a product contains, where it’s come from, and what kind of quality consumers can expect.

CAMRA believes this has to change, and we’ve campaigned for labelling transparency throughout our history as an organisation. Unfortunately, misleading practices and unclear labelling are becoming increasingly common, and it’s time that Government take action to protect our rights as consumers.