Row brews as Spanish beer boss accuses British companies of ‘dishonesty’
A Spanish beer boss has accused British brewers of ‘dishonesty’ over the sale of lagers billed as ‘the soul of Madrid’ that are actually made in Britain.
Estrella Galicia boss Aitor de Artaza said a ‘lack of transparency’ among British beer companies is causing confusion among customers.
It comes after names such as Madrí Excepcional, which promotes itself as ‘the soul of Madrid’, have become increasingly popular in Britain.
This is despite the fact that it is brewed at the Tower Brewery in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, by Molson Coors, owner of Doom Bar and Carling.
‘There is a lack of transparency because they use a large well-known city in Spain, but do not produce here. This is confusing for consumers,” Mr Artaza told the newspaper Telegraph.
Madrí Excepcional markets itself as a Spanish beer, but is actually brewed in Yorkshire (stock image)
Aitor de Artaza (pictured) accused British brewers of ‘dishonesty’ in selling beer that appears Spanish
‘They (Madrí) have done a very good job in terms of marketing, that’s for sure. But it’s a bit tricky because people think they’re drinking a Spanish beer, but they’re not. They are not very clear and in my opinion not very fair.’
Sales of Madrí have reportedly soared since its launch, with Molson Coors revealing that supermarket purchases have exceeded £100 million.
It comes after it was revealed that seven out of 10 alcoholic drinks sold in Britain’s pubs, bars and restaurants are short-term, according to a watchdog survey.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute said its members had made 137 test purchases of beer and wine nationwide. About 96 – just over 70 percent of the total – were shorter than the full measurement.
The findings come at a time when the price of alcoholic drinks is at a record high. According to the Office of National Statistics, the average price of a bottle of red wine has risen by 8 percent in the past year, while the average price of a pint of lager has risen by 5.6 percent.
The biggest short measure was a 15 per cent shortage on a 175ml glass of wine in Walsall, with the drink costing £3.20.
The company that owns Madri, Molson Coors, has reported that supermarket purchases have reached £100 million
The next largest short measure was a deficit of 13.4%, found in Belfast, on a glass of wine costing £7.20, and the third largest deficit was 12%, found on a 175ml glass of wine bought in Havering , which cost £5.75.
Estrella Galicia has been brewing beer in the Spanish region of Galicia for more than a century.
In addition to Madri, international lagers such as Birra Moretti, Corona and Cruzcampo are brewed in Great Britain.
MailOnline has contacted Madri for comment.