A number of small breweries across the UK are opting to ditch the term ‘craft beer’, swapping it out for ‘indie beer’ instead.
The move comes as a new YouGov survey revealed that a large percentage of consumers did not realise that many of the previously independent brews are now owned by big corporations.
In the survey, which tested beer drinkers’ knowledge on all their favourite brews and aimed to determine what constitutes ‘craft beer’, consumers were asked to confirm whether 10 beer brands were made by independent craft breweries.
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The results of the survey revealed that the branding used had been ‘so effective’ that 40% of people surveyed assumed that Neck Oil, which is brewed by Heineken-owned Beavertown, was independent.
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The survey also highlighted the fact that over three-quarters of the people surveyed felt that they were being ‘misled’, as it wasn’t clear that brews from Beavertown, Camden, and Fullers were made by large corporations.
The results add fuel to the fire around the increasing concerns that the UK’s prized reputation for craft beer is becoming diluted by offerings from larger corporations.
Despite many previously independently owned breweries being bought out by larger companies, many of the beers are still being advertised as ‘craft’ beers.
The new survey was commissioned by The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (Siba) has opted to create a campaign to help consumers identify truly ‘indie’ beer, in a bid to help alleviate concerns that the term ‘craft’ no longer offers the same meaning.
Andy Slee, chief executive of Siba said: “For lots of breweries across the UK, ‘independent’ has become a lot more valuable and relevant to what they do than ‘craft’ – the meaning of which has been blurred by macro-ownership of craft beer brands.
“The ‘indie beer’ campaign focuses on what unites breweries in the UK rather than what divides us.
“They [independent brewers] are a force for good in the local communities they represent and it’s essential global beer companies are not taking credit for the hard work of true independent brewers.”
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