Beer drinkers are facing higher prices and less variety as soaring energy prices hit the cost of glass.
High energy prices have pushed the price of glass up by 80% year-on-year, which could result in less variety of beers as the UK enters the summer months, a Scottish wholesaler warned.
The news comes as the latest shock to the beer industry, which has battled with labour shortages and soaring CO2 costs.
Some beer suppliers said they are being forced to switch from glass bottles to cans to mitigate supply difficulties.
Julie Dunn, operations director at one of Scotland’s largest wholesalers Dunns Food and Drinks, said: “It won’t be long before the glassware shortages hits UK consumers. Our wine and spirits suppliers from around the globe are facing ongoing struggles that will have a knock-on effect.
“As a result, there could be less variety in the bottled beers we see on UK shelves.
“Specialist bottles and glassware hold a very important place in the heritage of the beer industry and I expect that while some breweries will convert to cans to ensure consistent supply, others will look at this as devaluing the brand, so will inevitably pass the additional cost onto beer drinkers.
“We sell a huge amount of beer from Germany, so I would expect us to feel a fairly seismic hit in the very near future.”
Holger Eichele, head of the German Brewers’ Association, told German newspaper Bild the situation was “extremely tense” and the cost of German beer could rise by up to 30%.
Eichele warned of summer beer shortages amid a shortage of lorry drivers.
“Because there are no truck drivers, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the breweries and the beverage trade to maintain the supply chain,” he said. “We will see shortages by summer at the latest.”
British Glass, which represents the UK’s glass industry, told Supply Management the supply difficulties were primarily coming from European manufacturers and its UK members were not currently reporting shortages.
Germany is Europe’s biggest beer producer, according to the European beer association Brewers of Europe.
☛ Want to stay up to date with the news? Sign up to our daily bulletin.
