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Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Guinness 0.0 hits milestone as more outlets opt for alcohol-free option
Guinness is reporting today that on-trade yearly volume sales of Guinness 0.0 draught grew 161pc between June 2022 and March 2025 – reflecting sales of cans, draught and micro-draught cans in pubs, hotels and restaurants. Sales of Guinness 0.0 on draught have grown by 27pc in the last year, on top of 47pc growth of draught Guinness 0.0 in Ireland the previous year. On-trade sales were up 35pc from March 2024 to March 2025. The capacity for further growth will increase significantly from next year, when a €30m investment in brewing capacity will lift production to 176 million pints of 0.0 per year for international and domestic markets – 12pc of the entire output at the famous St James's Gate brewery in Dublin. In contrast, a report by Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), a trade group, found the average amount of alcohol consumed by adults in Ireland had fallen by 31pc since 2001. A similar trend has been seen in other developed markets. Last month Guinness's alcohol-free beer was centre stage at an investor day held by Diageo, where group CEO Deborah Crew pointed to its global potential based on the pace of its Irish rollout over the past four years. Diageo is planning to accelerate sales of traditional Guinness and the non-alcoholic version around the world, targeting Gen Z and female drinkers among its key growth levers. It's also planning to leverage sponsorship of sporting events such as the Premier League and a continued focus on the Six Nations rugby championship, where the non-alcoholic option has advantages over products that face restrictions in many advertising markets. Even in the traditional Guinness heartland of rural Irish pubs, the beer is finding an audience, according to Cathal Sheridan, a seventh generation publican who operates Sheridan's Bar and Restaurant in Milltown, Co Galway. He cited demand from rural drinkers who need the option to drive home. The on-trade commercial director at Diageo Ireland, Ross Bissett, said demand for non-alcoholic products has been seen across the board. 'The growth of Guinness 0.0 over the last three years demonstrates the enormous appetite consumers have for greater choice in what they are consuming, and highlights the vital role Guinness 0.0 is playing in driving moderation in Ireland,' he said.
The Irish Sun
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Rural pubs are being crushed after shock closures & €1.70 from every €6 pint going to taxman – our plan could save them
IRELAND'S world famous pub industry is under threat. More than 2,000 boozers have closed in the last 20 years. Drinks Industry Group of Ireland research in 2023 warned the rate of closures is getting worse with hundreds shutting since the 3 Industry experts have blamed a range of reasons for the decline Credit: Getty 3 Pat Crotty VFI said that the rebate would help protect rural pubs Family-run pubs are particularly struggling in rural Ireland. Industry experts have blamed a range of reasons for the decline, including excise taxes, pint prices and staffing. Today, the Vintners Federation of Ireland - led by President Michael O'Donovan and backed by Eamonn O'Rahilly, from from The Spotted Dog pub, Writing in the Irish Sun, VFI CEO Pat Crotty VFI says the rebate would help protect rural pubs that play a vital social role in their local communities, while also preserving employment in a sector struggling with soaring costs. Read more in News Pubs are the beating heart of communities across Ireland. They are places where stories are shared, friendships are made and local economies are sustained. But they are also facing a crisis. Since 2005, the number of pubs outside And this isn't just about statistics, it's about the loss of social spaces and the economic lifeline they provide to small towns and villages. Most read in The Irish Sun If you're paying €6 for a pint, over €1.70 of that is going straight to the taxman. That's because Ireland has the second-highest excise rate on alcohol in Europe. And it's crushing our pubs. TAX REBATE CALL Publicans are not asking for a handout – we are asking for fairness. A 40 per cent rebate on the excise charged on draught products is a practical, targeted support that would make a real difference for small pubs across Ireland. By targeting the rebate specifically at draught products in on-licence premises, we ensure that it supports pubs, not supermarkets or off-licences. These are businesses at the heart of their communities, providing employment, social connection and play a key role in our tourism offering. The excise rebate scheme is based on a report written by Anthony Foley from DCU Business A public house provides evidence from suppliers that it purchased a certain number of tax- compliant kegs of qualifying beverage. The rebate of 40 per cent is calculated by Revenue, up to a maximum of €20k. The appropriate rebate is credited to the VAT due in each VAT period of the following year. For example, a 50-litre keg of Guinness contains 88 pints and generates €47.36 in excise per keg. A 40 per cent rebate would be €18.94 per keg. To receive the full rebate of €20k, a public house would need to sell 1,056 kegs annually or 20.3 kegs weekly. Most rural pubs would not sell this volume of kegs. The rebate applies only to draught alcohol products with a maximum ABV of 5 per cent. In effect, this means it is confined to beer/cider. The restriction of the rebate to draught products ensures the measure is focussed on public houses and other bars. EXISTENTIAL CRISIS Rural pubs are facing an existential crisis. We have seen hundreds of pubs close their doors in recent years. If this trend continues, we will lose a vital part of Irish culture and community life. A draught rebate is a simple, fair, and targeted measure that would provide immediate relief. We estimate the rebate would cost €73million annually, a small fraction of the VAT proposal. While the proposed VAT reduction for hospitality is welcome, it will only benefit pubs that serve food, leaving traditional pubs without support. The draught rebate, in contrast, would ensure that all pubs, regardless of size or location, benefit. Critics may ask why pubs deserve support? The answer is simple, pubs are more than businesses - they are community hubs. They employ local people, support suppliers and provide a place for social connection. In many rural areas, they are the last place for locals to gather. People will also throw the 'Temple Bar' accusation at us. Fair enough, but this measure is designed to assist smaller pubs who are economically a million miles from Dublin city centre. Also, we're proposing capping the rebate at €20,000, so the bigger pubs won't unduly benefit from the scheme. If we don't act now, the decline will only continue. We need the government to step up, recognise the value of our pubs and give them the support they deserve. A 40 per cent excise rebate is a practical, targeted measure that could save a vital part of Irish life. 3 VFI President Michael O'Donovan with Eamonn O'Rahilly at The Spotted Dog pub in Limerick Credit: Conor McCabe Photography.
Euronews
17-03-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Heineken campaign aims to find new owner for family-run Irish pub
Family-run pubs are an institution in Ireland. Yet, these charming generational spots are increasingly at risk as many landlords considering retirement don't have family to take over from them. This fact has undoubtedly inspired Dutch beer brand Heineken to play a version of the generation game by trying to change that pattern in one Irish pub - it's launching a search for a successor to take over McLoughlin's Bar. Over the past two decades, pubs across Ireland have faced closure. Figures from Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) show that since 2005, an average of 114 pubs have closed every year. The highest percentage of closures came from more rural counties, such as Limerick, Roscommon, and Cork, while Dublin had the lowest percentage of closures. Many of the pubs facing closure are independent locations that have been run by families for generations. More than 40% of rural publicans say they are considering retirement, yet 84% have no family to take over their legacy. For one pub on the rural Achill Island, Heineken has kicked off a campaign to keep it independent. Joseph 'Josie' McLoughlin owns McLoughlin's Bar on the west coast of Ireland. He's been behind the bar for the past 43 years. He was born upstairs in the pub and is the fourth generation of McLoughlins' to run the venue. Like many families in Ireland, McLoughlin's family now live all over the world and he has no-one to pass the pub on to. So now, at retirement age, he is looking for a namesake to take over the running of the pub and keep the family name above the door. After keeping the pub in the family for 155 years, he explains: 'I have no one to leave the pub to, and I'd resigned myself to looking for a buyer outside the family and seeing my name being lost to history. That would just break my heart.' 'The name McLoughlin is woven into the very fabric of this pub. The past 50 years have been incredibly fulfilling for me and I'd love to see that story continue, finding a McLoughlin descendant to take it forward. If I could guarantee the McLoughlin name would still be above the door of the pub in another 155 years, I'd die a happy man,' he says. Heineken's campaign to find a new independent owner is aimed at the 88 million Irish descendants spread across the globe. Ahead of St Patrick's Day, it's offering a succession package to 'the new McLoughlin' including business support, initial investment guidance, and mentorship. 'When we heard Josie's story, we just knew we had to do something to help. Pubs in Ireland are more than just places to enjoy a drink; they are living pieces of history, places of laughter, song, and kinship,' says Mark Noble, Marketing Manager at Heineken Ireland. 'With many of these institutions facing uncertain futures, we want to rally the Irish diaspora, inspiring a new generation of pub owners to take on not just a business, but a cultural legacy. For those who have longed to reconnect with their Irish heritage, this is more than an investment; it's a homecoming: the chance to own a piece of Ireland, to pour a pint for old friends and new, and to keep the spirit of the pub alive for generations to come,' he adds. Ever since the Amazon acquisition of creative control over the James Bond franchise from longtime stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael J. Wilson, many questions have been asked. Are we going to be subjected to a watering down of the beloved film legacy with countless soul-draining spin-offs? What direction is 007 going to go in now, and which filmmaker will guide Bond into its new era? Most of all though, who will play this new chapter's James Bond? Henry Cavill seems to be the people's choice. Frequently mentioned names include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, James Norton, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Richard Madden, Rege-Jean Page and Tom Hardy. Now, a new name has been added to the ever-growing list and foreign governments are even getting involved... Poland's prime minister Donald Tusk has unexpectedly thrown Jesse Eisenberg's name into the mix by making a tongue-in-cheek offer to the US actor and director behind the Oscar-nominated A Real Pain. Eisenberg, who recently gained Polish citizenship and has starred in films like The Social Network, Zombieland and the Now You See Me trilogy, was offered military training by Tusk - a crash course that would land him 'the new James Bond role.' Tusk posted a video on X that showed him watching a clip of an appearance by Eisenberg on NBC's The Tonight Show. In that appearance, Eisenberg said, to laughter, that a day after he received citizenship he looked at the news 'and the top story was 'Poland now requires all males to participate in military training.'" In his video, Tusk said: 'Dear Jesse, there's really nothing to be afraid of!' He noted that military training is voluntary. 'So come over to Poland! And we'll give you such a training that, the new James Bond role? It's yours!' Who knew it was that easy nabbing cinema's most sought-after role? Tusk said on 7 March that his government was working on a plan to prepare large-scale military training for every adult male in response to the changing security situation in Europe. The Polish PM said that there's a need for an army of 500,000 soldiers, more than double the current number, which would include reservists. He added last week that the government intends to put 100,000 volunteers through military training each year starting in 2027 as it seeks to build an army of reservists. He said he was "convinced that there will be no shortage of volunteers.' Not when 00 status is within reach...
