Sainsbury has fired the latest salvo in the Christmas beer pricing war with big cuts across Scottish Courage brands.
In an attempt to differentiate itself from Asda and Tesco, both using Stella and Carlsberg as their lead deals, the retailer has chosen Beck’s and Kronenbourg in a move which is at odds with the brewer’s ongoing campaign to raise prices.
A case of 24x275ml Beck’s bottles has fallen from £21.99 to £9.99 which, according to one wholesaler, is “pounds and pounds below” what it could offer independents.
Similarly, 24x440ml cans of Kronenbourg plummeted to £12.99 from £25.99, a deal that still fails to touch Asda and Tesco’s £9.87 on a 330ml 24-pack of Stella.
The wholesaler added: “The deal on Beck’s is as bad as the ones we have seen on Stella. The only saving grace on Beck’s is that it has originated from a supermarket, unlike the Stella deal which was sparked by retailers reacting to Iceland’s pricing, which has shot itself in the foot because of its wholesale interest.”
With less than two weeks to go until Christmas, buyers are bracing themselves for last minute, unexpected deals that could prompt more price cuts.
Safeway’s head beer buyer Glenn Payne said: “All our offers are in place and it’s now a question of looking out for any last minute deals.”
Despite the uncertainty, retailers are working flat out to ensure they keep shelves well stocked.
Exclusive research for The Grocer shows the multiples have put their resources into overcoming supply issues, with only 6% of promoted lager brands across the main six multiples at risk of going out of stock.
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