Popular beer model to chop alcohol power inside days – in transfer that can anger punters

Beer guzzlers may be enraged by Heineken’s decision to cut the alcohol strength of its popular drink.

In just a matter of days, the popular brand will be producing its Sol lager with a lower ABV.

The strength of the drink will be reduced from 4.2 per cent to 3.4 per cent. 

While the new beer will go into production from Tuesday, it won’t be on the shelves or in the pubs immediately. 

But punters will be pleased to know that the change could result in a lower price of the Sol products.

The move is being made in part to lower the amount of duty that needs to be paid on the beer.

It comes after the government brought in a lower duty band for alcohol with an ABV between 1.3 per cent and 3.4 per cent.

Heineken is not the first to slash the strength of its popular beers. 

Beer guzzlers may be enraged by Heineken’s decision to cut the alcohol strength of its popular drink

The strength of the drink will be reduced from 4.2 per cent to 3.4 per cent

Many other manufacturers have sought to use the band to save costs, despite the one per cent cut in duty on draught products introduced in the last budget.

Last year, brewer Asahi cut its Dark Star Brewing Co’s Hophead strength from 3.8 per cent to 3.4 per cent.

Stella Artois, Foster’s, Carlsberg, Spitfire, Old Speckled Hen and Bishops Finger have also all been reduced in strength in line with the introduction of the lower rate of tax on weaker booze.

The changes are in a bid to avoid sky-high prices at the bar, with the price of the average pint as high as £6.16 in London, while the cheapest is Midlands at £4.47.

Heineken has already hiked the prices of its draught products this year.

From February it increased charges to pubs by an average of 2.97 per cent after warning that changes to government rules around packaging, which are set to come into force this year, will lead to ‘significant cost increases’ for the company.

It means manufacturers will be responsible for fees ensuring packing materials are sustainable.

The business would have been responsible for 35 per cent of the costs but this will soon be increased to 100 per cent.

A Heineken spokesperson said: ‘As ever, we continue to make considerable effort across the business to deliver cost savings and drive efficiencies to keep price increases to a minimum, and reduce the impact of inflation on our customers.’