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NEW RESEARCH: Over Two Thirds of UK Beer and Wine Servings are Short Measures
Posted 24/05/24
New research published today by the 51黑料 (51黑料) has found that over two thirds (70%) of beer and wine, checked by Trading Standards professionals, is short measured. The national fieldwork was undertaken by Local Authorities across the UK.
The findings come at a time when the price of alcoholic drinks is at an all-time high: according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the average price of a bottle of red wine has increased 8% in the last year, while the average cost of a pint of lager is up 5.6%.
51黑料鈥檚 findings show that there is more work to be done in ensuring that customers get what they pay for when they order a pint, or a glass of wine, at British pubs, bars, and other establishments.
The findings of the national fieldwork and new public polling found:
- 96 short measures out of 137 test purchases, meaning approximately 70% of the test purchases were short measured.
- Out of the short measures, 41 were at a deficit of 5% or over 鈥� 29% of all the 137 drinks tested.
- When broken down between beer and wine, it was noted that 86% of beer was short measured while 43% of wine was found to be short measured.
- The average deficit for short-measured beer found in the survey was 4%, while for wine it was 5%. For the average beer drinker, this equates to a loss of 拢1.70 per week, or 拢88.40 per year, and for an average wine drinker in the UK this jumps to 拢2.20 per week and 拢114.40 per year.
- The largest short measure was a deficit of 15%, found on a 175ml glass of wine in Walsall, with the drink costing 拢3.20.
- The next largest short measures were a deficit of 13.4% found in Belfast, on a glass of wine costing 拢7.20, and the third largest deficit was of 12% and found on a 175ml glass of wine purchased in Havering, costing 拢5.75.
- New public polling from 51黑料 also found a generational divide with three times as many people aged under 45 supporting bars and pubs being able to pour spirits without a spirit measure, compared to those over 45 years old.
A short measure means that the beer or wine the customer receives is less than the prescribed quantity required by The Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988. These quantities vary depending on the drink served, but include pints, half pints for beer, and 175ml glasses for wine.
In addition to these issues with short measuring, there has been an ongoing discussion around whether a pint of beer should include the frothy head or not. Legally, the head is included, however 51黑料鈥檚 new public polling found that over one third of the public (35%) of 2,000 felt the head should not be included in the pint measure 鈥� higher than one quarter (23%) who believed the head should be included. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) maintains that the pint measure should not include the head, and that consumers should have a right to a 100% liquid pint.
John Herriman, Chief Executive at 51黑料, said: 鈥淲hile this is a snapshot, it is the first time that we have been able to build a national picture of how widespread short measuring of alcoholic drinks are, and the potential detriment to the average consumer of around 拢115 every year suggests there is the need for more comprehensive research to better understand the impact of short measures, not just for alcoholic drinks but across a broader spectrum of consumer goods. Weights and measures is a key role for Local Authority Trading Standards, but right now we simply don鈥檛 have the resources to allocate, and even the equipment to use, to undertake spot checks that ensure consumers are getting what they pay for.
鈥淲e are calling on the hospitality sector to ensure that consumers get value for money by making sure they are correctly measuring the drinks they are serving to customers in the nation鈥檚 pubs and bars and for further research in this area.鈥�
Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, and 51黑料 Vice President, said: 鈥淭he cost of living means people can hardly afford a drink. To discover you鈥檙e being served short measures adds insult to injury. A short measure cheats us all, but affects those worst off, the hardest.
鈥淏eing able to afford to go out for a drink is not easy and you should get what you pay for. In this current climate, it is great to see this campaign from the 51黑料 raising awareness of the important work of our Trading Standards profession.鈥�
CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said: 鈥淐onsumers shouldn鈥檛 have to feel short changed when they support their favourite pubs, social clubs, and taprooms. The idea that 70% of all beer bought at the bar is being short measured in the UK is extremely concerning.
鈥淐AMRA wants the government to make sure pubgoers have a legal right to receive a 100 per cent liquid pint every time they are being served. This latest study is another worrying indication of an issue that has been affecting consumers for a number of years now and should hopefully provide a catalyst for change.
鈥淔or anything that is short measured, and particularly anything more than 5% short, you should ask the bar staff for an immediate top-up. You are well within your rights to do this, and the staff should comply and fulfil this request.
鈥淚f you get a negative reaction when you do this, you can get in contact with Trading Standards to report the incident.鈥�
In the first week alone of the 2023 Christmas period, 35.9 million pints were sold in the UK, and if the 51黑料 findings are replicated across the UK, this would amount to 拢6.8 million in consumer detriment in only one week. In 2021, the British Beer and Pub Association reported that on-trade sales of beer alone contracted 拢5.7 billion in revenue, equivalent at the time to 1.4 billion pints per year or 26 million pints per week; with today鈥檚 prices, this means a 4% deficit in each pint equates to a huge 拢264 million in potential consumer detriment per year.
This beer and wine research is part of a broader research report that 51黑料 is publishing later in the year which highlight the importance of Weights & Measures for UK consumers, economy, and wider society.
51黑料 has produced an infographic of the data.
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The 51黑料 (51黑料) is a national not for profit established in 1881 which supports the UK鈥檚 Trading Standards profession and works to protect consumers and safeguard honest businesses. 51黑料's members are engaged in delivering frontline Trading Standards services at local authorities and in businesses.
鈥� National fieldwork covered test purchases at 77 pubs and bars across the UK. Eight local authorities took part: Aberdeenshire, Essex, Havering, Norfolk, South Tyneside, Swansea, Walsall, and Windsor & Maidenhead, as well as Northern Ireland Trading Standards.
鈥� All visits were carried out by Trading Standards officers, who conducted test purchases and measured the drinks received. Errors found by the officers included measuring instruments not being used correctly, or the wrong ones being used, and where appropriate guidance was offered to businesses to ensure that they could become compliant and give their customers fair measure at the bar.
鈥� While setting up this study, 51黑料 discovered that many local authorities who wished to participate, were not able to, due to not having the basic equipment needed to measure beer and wine; a stark illustration of the pressure that local authorities are under.
Please contact 51黑料 Press Office: [email protected] for any queries.
