Offaly publican and VFI chief brands pint price rise as ' incomprehensible'

The decision by Diageo, the drinks company which brews Guinness, to increase the price of a pint by four cents has been branded as “incomprehensible” by an Offaly publican.

John Clendennen, owner of Giltraps Bar and Glamping in Kinnitty, who is national president of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, said: “This is incomprehensible both in the need for such an increase and the timing of it. Diageo took a 12-cent increase back in February which, in my memory, is the highest ever increase imposed. Many of the factors under ‘rising business costs’ Diageo refer to as justification for the increase were either known back in February and included in that increase or, indeed, have reduced in the meantime”.

On Wednesday of this week Diago wrote to all publicans in the country advising the price of a pint will increase by four cents (five cents when VAT is included) from August.

Diageo cite “rising business costs” as the reason for imposing this increase.

Mr Clendennen said the price increase is poorly timed and deeply unfair to both consumers and publicans.

The VFI chief, who is also a Fine Gael councillor, added; “The timing is awful. We are in the middle of peak tourist season, businesses in tourist areas that need good summers to see them through the quiet winter period are suffering from the loss of accommodation beds, while the consumer is reeling from increased mortgage and other cost of living increases. I can’t think of a more inopportune time for a supplier to even be thinking of increasing prices, let alone doing it.

“I believe Diageo are out of tune with both their customers and the consumer. I will be calling on Diageo to review this decision immediately,” the VFI President concluded.