UK pubs and bars will face ongoing restrictions on Guinness supplies until the end of December, according to brewer Diageo. The company has announced plans for a “phased replenishment of the supply chain” starting in January to ensure venues are adequately stocked for the Guinness Six Nations rugby tournament later that month.
Despite these plans, Diageo has cautioned that Guinness distribution will remain on a “managed basis” throughout December. The pressure on stocks, which began approximately three weeks ago, appears to have varying impacts across the hospitality sector.
While JD Wetherspoon reported being “fully stocked” with Guinness and expecting further deliveries, other operators have not been as fortunate. Shaun Jenkinson, operations director at the Irish pub chain Katie O’Brien’s, which runs seven venues across England, highlighted the difficulties they’ve faced.
“This has been an incredibly inconvenient challenge at the busiest time of year,” said Jenkinson. “The more awareness there is that this is a national supply issue rather than poor management by pubs, the better.”
According to Jenkinson, Katie O’Brien’s has only received 70% of its required Guinness stock over the past two weeks. He added, “Ordering stock has become incredibly complicated, relying on multiple wholesalers with varying ordering parameters. There has been no clear communication from Diageo on when the situation will improve, only continued warnings from wholesalers about the likelihood of further shortfalls as Christmas approaches.”
At this week’s UKHospitality Christmas lunch, a Guinness-branded bar served drinks to attendees, though the mention of the brand drew pantomime-style boos from operators, reflecting the frustration among many in the industry.
Some smaller London venues have resorted to creative solutions, such as introducing “ration cards” for customers due to dwindling keg supplies. Meanwhile, several larger pub chains have declined to comment, citing the issue as a national supply problem.
The current strain on Guinness supplies follows a surge in demand throughout the summer and autumn. According to CGA data, while total beer category volumes fell by 0.5% between July and October, Guinness bucked the trend with a remarkable 20.9% rise over the same period.
Additional factors contributing to the shortage include the autumn rugby internationals in November and the stout’s growing popularity among younger women. These trends have combined to create unprecedented demand, leaving some venues struggling to keep up during the critical festive season.
A Diageo spokesperson said: “We are grateful to all our customers for their engagement, collaboration and patience over the past three weeks. We are producing more Guinness today than we ever have in our 265-year history, and we continue to work closely with customers across our network to manage Guinness distribution as efficiently as possible, ensuring we maximise supply and minimise disruptions for pubs and retailers.
“Demand remains at unprecedented levels, and we will continue to allocate supplies on a managed basis until the end of December, before beginning a phased replenishment of the supply chain in January to ensure a return to normal for the Guinness Six Nations.”
