Foster’s beer drinkers in the UK will soon find their lager’s alcohol strength cut to 3.4%.
Heineken UK, which brews Foster’s, said cutting the alcohol strength from the current 3.7% would make the lager eligible for lower rates of alcohol duty.
The brewer hinted at cheaper pints saying “customers benefit from more competitive pricing” because of the lower tax charge.
The change is set to go into effect by February, marking the second time in three years that Foster’s alcohol percentage, or ABV, has been diluted.
Heineken UK said it was responding to changes in UK government policy, which have encouraged brewers to offer lower alcohol options.
The government introduced a new system of alcohol duties based on strength in August 2023, which made less alcoholic beers and ciders relatively cheaper compared to more powerful alternatives.
Since then, rival brews Carlsberg Pilsner, Sol, Coors Light and Grolsch have also been reformulated to an ABV below 3.4% to qualify for the lower rate of tax in the UK.
It insisted punters would not notice the difference, after “extensive” consumer testing.
“Our master brewers have spent many months refining the recipe to ensure the taste remains unmistakably Foster’s – crisp, balanced, and refreshing,” the brewing giant said
Heineken said there had been a “continued shift” in beer-drinking trends, toward lower-ABV options “as part of a balanced and health-conscious lifestyle”.
Heineken last month said its global beer sales would fall next year as drinkers cut back because of pressure on their household budgets.
In its third quarter results, the global brewer said the UK had bucked the global trend of falling beer volume sales, which it blamed on squeezed consumer budgets.
Alongside making beers such Birra Moretti, Sol, Strongbow cider and the eponymous Heineken, the company also operates close to 2,400 pubs in the UK under its Star Group subsidiary.
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