Shut up about Barclay Perkins - Average UK draught beer prices 1973 - 2017
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What better way to kick off the New Year than a load of numbers? No, don't thank me. It's the least I could do.
Do you want some words as well? OK, I'll throw you a few. The 1970s weren't a great time in many ways. Especially when it came to inflation. In the ten years 1973 to 1982 the price of Bitter more than quadrupled. While in the following ten years it merely doubled.
I was surprised to see how much the price differential between Bitter and Lager varied. Starting at a massive 30% - incredibly poor value given that Bitter was stronger than Lager - it fell to just 8% in 1983, after which it rose again. Not sure why that was. Perhaps the introduction of stronger Lagers was behind the trend.
This is all very different from pre-WW II. Between the wars beer prices were very stable, with just a blip 1931-1933. Pre-WW I, prices were even more stable, not really changing at all for around 50 years. Which is why WW I, with its big price increases, must have come as a huge shock to drinkers.
Funnily enough, the table just about exactly covers my drinking years. Unlike Victorian drinkers, I was used to frequent increases in the price of a pint.
| Average UK draught beer prices 1973 - 2017 |
| Year |
Bitter |
Lager |
% difference |
| 1973 |
13 |
17 |
30.77% |
| 1974 |
15 |
19 |
26.67% |
| 1975 |
20 |
23 |
15.00% |
| 1976 |
23 |
28 |
21.74% |
| 1977 |
27 |
32 |
18.52% |
| 1978 |
29 |
35 |
20.69% |
| 1979 |
34 |
40 |
17.65% |
| 1980 |
41 |
47 |
14.63% |
| 1981 |
49 |
57 |
16.33% |
| 1982 |
54 |
63 |
16.67% |
| 1983 |
62 |
67 |
8.06% |
| 1984 |
66 |
73 |
10.61% |
| 1985 |
72 |
80 |
11.11% |
| 1986 |
76 |
86 |
13.16% |
| 1987 |
82 |
92 |
12.20% |
| 1988 |
88 |
99 |
12.50% |
| 1989 |
96 |
108 |
12.50% |
| 1990 |
110 |
123 |
11.82% |
| 1991 |
126 |
140 |
11.11% |
| 1992 |
131 |
147 |
12.21% |
| 1993 |
137 |
154 |
12.41% |
| 1994 |
142 |
159 |
11.97% |
| 1995 |
148 |
167 |
12.84% |
| 1996 |
156 |
174 |
11.54% |
| 1997 |
165 |
183 |
10.91% |
| 1998 |
170 |
190 |
11.76% |
| 1999 |
174 |
195 |
12.07% |
| 2000 |
178 |
200 |
12.36% |
| 2001 |
182 |
204 |
12.09% |
| 2002 |
185 |
210 |
13.51% |
| 2003 |
195 |
228 |
16.92% |
| 2004 |
203 |
234 |
15.27% |
| 2005 |
213 |
242 |
13.62% |
| 2006 |
221 |
252 |
14.03% |
| 2007 |
231 |
263 |
13.85% |
| 2008 |
241 |
276 |
14.52% |
| 2009 |
249 |
281 |
12.85% |
| 2010 |
258 |
295 |
14.34% |
| 2011 |
269 |
308 |
14.50% |
| 2012 |
280 |
319 |
13.93% |
| 2013 |
287 |
330 |
14.98% |
| 2014 |
294 |
337 |
14.63% |
| 2015 |
296 |
345 |
16.55% |
| 2016 |
299 |
348 |
16.39% |
| 2017 |
305 |
358 |
17.38% |
| Sources: |
| Statistical Handbook of the British Beer & Pub Association 2003, p. 44. |
| Statistical Handbook of the British Beer & Pub Association 2017, p. 45. |
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