UK Pint Prices to Surpass £5 Amid Rising Costs

The average price of a pint in the UK is set to surpass £5 for the first time, driven by cost increases beginning next month. Research by Frontier Economics, commissioned by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), indicates that the average cost of a pint will rise from £4.80 to £5.01 due to tax increases from the previous October's budget. The increases include a rise in the national minimum wage, higher national insurance rates, and reduced business rate discounts for hospitality firms, resulting in a net cost of approximately £650 million for the pub sector. Pub industry leaders, including Emma McClarkin of the BBPA, emphasize the necessity of passing these costs onto consumers to keep pubs viable. The industry, still recovering from pandemic-related challenges, faces additional pressure from inflation and increased operational costs.