Warning as price of popular beers set to soar

Beer drinkers beware - the price of some pints are expected to rise in line with new Government tax hikes next year, according to a popular brewer.

Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced last month that Labour would be raising alcohol levies in line with inflation.

The duty is set to increase the price of producing some of your favourite alcoholic beverages, including the portfolio owned by Asahi.

The Japanese brand, which brews Peroni, Grolsch, Meantime pale ale, Cornish Orchards cider, and Fuller’s London Pride in the UK, has confirmed that the upcoming drinks duty hikes will ‘absolutely be passed on’ to customers.

“The cost profile of our business is increasing,” said Asahi UK and Ireland sales director, Dhati Holohan of the Extended Producer Responsibility ‘recycling tax’, which will see levies bumped up by 3.66 percent.

Your favourite pint may be subject to a price increase next year (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

“We see where inflation is and how much [alcohol] duty has increased - there will be costs that will need to be passed on.”

Holohan has not confirmed when the Asahi portfolio will increase the price it charges pubs and bars for kegs of its lagers, ales and ciders, as per The Daily Star.

Heineken, which is responsible for brewing Amstel, Old Mount cider, John Smith’s Extra Smooth, Inch’s cider, and Birra Moretti, has confirmed pints will be 2.7 percent more expensive in the new year.

A spokesperson for Heineken told the Morning Advisor that its 0.0 percent cans will also cost more in 2026.

“We know pubs are still shouldering significant cost pressures," they said.

“The operating environment remains challenging, with inflationary inputs such as employer taxes and the introduction of the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging scheme adding to the burden.”

The spokesperson added that the company would ‘continue to invest in portfolio and services that help pubs grow while remaining transparent about any future Government duty changes, which will be passed on in the usual way'.

Regarding Reeve’s plan to increase alcohol levies, The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) described the news as a ‘bitter blow for beer drinkers’, according to Drinks Retailing News.

“Instead of supporting a sector already under immense pressure, the chancellor has chosen to increase beer duty on top of a raft of other tax rises.”

As of June 2025, the average pint of a price of beer in the UK is £5.17, according to a survey.

Heineken has confirmed its prices will rise next year (Getty Stock Image)

In September, Finder revealed that a pint of the good stuff will set you back £6.83 in London.

News of brewers and pubs being put under pressure in 2026 comes after data suggested that almost half of (44 percent) of UK young adults were swapping alcoholic beverages out for no and low-drinks.

Speaking about the ‘cultural reset’ and young people moderating their drinking, Laura Willoughby, CEO and founder of Club Soda Drinks said: “The old idea that you need alcohol to have a good time is collapsing, and people are rejecting the limits that come with it.

“Club Soda’s mission has always been about changing systems so that wherever you go, from a pub to a five-star bar, you’ll find great alcohol-free options that make moderation easy and normal,” she continued.

“The smartest retailers and venues are already adapting, because offering great alcohol-free drinks is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a business essential."