Pint Prices Stay Still, Despite Excise Rise

Following the government’s recent announcement to introduce another rise in alcohol excise tax, Sprig + Fern Brewing Co. has made the decision to absorb the extra costs and avoid any price rises.

The excise tax rise of 6.65% is the second-largest in 30 years, behind only last year’s 6.92% rise. The knock-on effect of this, particularly for smaller breweries, is enormous – especially alongside other essentials, such as CO2 and malt, which have also seen recent price increases. The impact of these mounting costs is expected to drive prices up for most alcoholic beverages in New Zealand.

Tracy Banner, owner and Master Brewer at Sprig + Fern Brewing Co., says:

“We obviously talked at length about the potential impact to our business, but ultimately decided that not increasing any of our prices was the right thing to do right now. The Brewery will absorb these additional costs for as long as feasible.

“Ultimately this decision is with those who enjoy our beers and support the Taverns top of mind – we want to avoid them needing to pay more for their pint.”

The decision comes as Sprig + Fern Brewing Co. begin another campaign referring to the Brewery and fourteen Sprig + Fern Taverns as the ‘Home of the Proper Pint’.

Daniel Tipping, Marketing + Communications Executive at Sprig + Fern Brewing Co., says:

“When is a pint really a pint? Given our history, and with the Union Jack being on the flag, it only feels right that we take the original British measurement, which is 568 millilitres. For historical reasons, the Americans opt for around 470ml – some bars in New Zealand go even smaller, typically around 425ml. Some Taverns have cheekily dubbed this the ‘city pint’.

“If a pint down the road is a dollar cheaper, but it’s 20% smaller, you simply may not be getting the best value. Times are tough out there – we want to look after those who support Sprig + Fern.”

To find and contact your nearest ‘Home of the Proper Pint’, visit sprigandfern.co.nz/taverns.