The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the average price of a pint of draught lager in pubs jumped 2.5% between December 2023 and December 2024, from £4.70 to £4.82.
It marked the lowest year-on-year increase in four years, when pint costs rose by 1.6% from £3.73 to £3.79 between December 2019 and December 2020.
The number was also significantly lower than the previous year’s increase, which saw a pint of lager in a pub increase from £4.24 in December 2022 to £4.70 December 2023, a 9.7% uptick.
Ongoing battle
While the rate of price rises appeared to be easing year-on-year, the cost of a pint has soared by 29.2% on average since December 2019 according to the data, which is based on information collated by ONS from pubs across the country.
Draught bitter also saw price rises during the 12-month period, from £3.93 in December 2023 to £3.94 in December 2023, an increase of 0.25%. It also marked the lowest annual increase in four years.
The previous data from ONS revealed a pint of draught lager in pubs similarly jumped by 2.5%, from £4.69 to £4.81, in the year to November 2024.
In addition, the latest headline rate of inflation also stood at 2.5%, according to ONS, on top of interest rates continuing to be held at 4.75% by the Bank of England, leaving many operators with an ongoing battle against rising costs across the board.
Constant worry
Moreover, April’s tax rises could prove to be the “final straw” for some firms, audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK warned after analysing Government figures relating to company insolvencies, published on Tuesday 21 January 2025.
Last month, CAMRA national chair Ash Corbett-Collins told The MA: “The ever-increasing cost of a pint in pubs is a constant worry for hardworking publicans, tenants and pub-goers.
“The sustained price rises are of no fault of the hardworking pubs, and their tenants, who risk closure if the price of their pints are not raised.”
