BBPA launches cross-industry platform to destroy spoilt beer

The British Beer and Pub Association has launched a cross-industry platform to enable participating brewers to manage the safe destruction of their brands in pubs and for the millions of pounds in excise duty from unsalable beer to be reclaimed and the appropriate and agreed recompense passed back to licensees.

Licensees with spoilt beer and cider in their cellars can access the platform by visiting www.ReturnYourBeer.co.uk via mobile, tablet or computer and creating a profile. 

Onces profile has been created guidance and instructions can be followed on the platform to seek permission from the brand owner to destroy their beer and cider in an “environmentally friendly manner” in compliance with local water authorities.

By using the platform, businesses such as pubs, hotels, bars and clubs will be able to destroy draught beer and cider that has become spoilt as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown and free up space for fresh deliveries, enabling them to restock ready for re-opening.

Brewers who have signed-up to the platform to list their brands and suppliers include Budweiser Brewing Group, Heineken, Molson Coors, Carlsberg, Asahi and Marstons, C and C (excluding Tennants), St. Austell, Adnams, Timothy Taylor, Innis and Gunn, Black Sheep and JW Lees. 

The BBPA announced as many as 70 million pints of British beer from UK pubs will have to be destroyed after they were forced to shut due to Covid-19. Being able to reclaim excise duty on this beer will be worth tens of millions of pounds to the on-trade.

Pubs were amongst the very first businesses to be shut down due to Covid-19 in the UK, having been ordered to shut on 20 March and will not open until 4 July at the earliest according to the government’s recently published roadmap.

Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We’re encouraging businesses with spoilt beer they need to destroy to visit www.ReturnYourBeer.co.uk and pre-register. 

“The platform will provide guidance and instructions necessary to destroy beer, as well as crucially recording that destruction to enable duty to be claimed back on it. We estimate this could be worth tens of millions of pounds of credit flowing back to pubs and the wider on-trade. Crucial at this hugely challenging time.”

She added: “This cross-industry platform is free to use and should help businesses of all shapes and sizes who serve draught beer as they re-stock and re-fresh ahead of re-opening.”