Holidu.co.uk, the search engine for holiday rentals, has released a study that tracks the change in the price of beer from before the pandemic to now in a range of UK cities. It follows their recent study that analysed the price of different beer types in 30 UK cities. As travel experts, they have witnessed the significant impact of the pandemic on the tourism and hospitality industries, as well as the growth in popularity of staycations over the last 18 months.
With prices having increased recently due to multiple pressure points including the pandemic, Brexit and global supply shortages, Holidu were motivated to examine how the price of beer has changed during this period.
The researchers began by identifying the highest rated pubs in a range of UK cities. They then recorded the price of a pint of popular lager (e.g. Heineken, Stella Artois) and a dark beer (e.g. Guinness). The prices of similar types of beer were then gathered from a Wetherspoons pub in each city to allow for a comparison of both ends of the market.
Using this data, it was then possible to determine the average price of a pint of beer in each city. In addition, to gauge how much would be spent by different drinkers on a night out, the cost of purchasing 6 pints and 3 pints in every UK location was calculated.
Following this, the study turned its attention outside the UK by identifying the 50 most popular holiday destinations for British people. It began by finding the price of beer at top rated pubs in each location. The researchers were then able to determine how much tourists can expect to spend in order to get the same amount of beer abroad.
In order to establish the prices of a pint of beer in each location, online drinks menus were analysed and pubs were contacted directly via social media. In the case that a pub did not have a menu or did not answer, a number of online review services were used to find the next top rated pub with prices available.
The overall findings of the index allow for a direct comparison of beer prices from a variety of pubs in the UK and around the world. It also reveals the difference in what tourists and locals are likely to pay for a pint of beer in the UK, and where holidaymakers can expect to pay the most and least.
The researchers then extended the study by analysing how the price of a pint of beer has changed in seven major UK cities since before the pandemic. To do this, they used historical drinks menus to identify the cost of the same drinks in the same establishments prior to the pandemic. The results give insight into how much the price of beer has increased in recent years.
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