"Does your pint measure up?"

A review of The Plough by Disappointed drinker - Tuesday 7th of August 2007

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Some important and interesting information for the bar staff of The Plough and their customers.

HONEST PINT LAW

In July 1999, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) published a consultation document on modernising the law on the sale of goods sold by quantity. Case law had established that the head forms part of the measure - in some cases courts have accepted that the head can be as much as 10% of a pint.

The frequently renamed British Beer and Pubs Association (BBPA), which represents the pubs industry recommends not less than 95% liquid measure. However, surveys by Trading Standards Officers (TSO’s) found that 20% of pints bought were less than the BBPA’s minimum recommendation. Views were invited on two options

If a customer is short-changed (s)he will generally tell the bar-staff at the earliest opportunity. If that same customer takes a beer that is less than full measure, (s)he will generally do little more than grumble to drinking companions or just accept the pint as it stands - many (most?) probably don’t even register that they have accepted less than they asked for.

Unscrupulous breweries and publicans exploit the law by normally serving less than the full measure, knowing that only some customers will ask for a top-up. There are rumours of breweries who recommend that publicans sell over 100% of the beer in each container, e.g. serve 76 pints from a container which holds 72 pints! This is only possible by either supplying less than full measure for each pint ordered or by returning beer to the container.

Research by CAMRA has indicated that 25% of the total number of ‘pints’ served are below the legal minimum of 19 fluid ounces. The most likely explanation for the lack of support is that people simply won’t complain. CAMRA encourages ALL drinkers to politely request full measure and if there is a persistent problem to contact the local Trading Standards & Registration Services.

The frequently renamed British Beer and Pubs Association (BBPA), which represents the pubs industry recommends not less than 95% liquid measure. However, surveys by Trading Standards Officers (TSO’s) found that 20% of pints bought were less than the BBPA’s minimum recommendation. Views were invited on two options

1.Licensees are required to serve 100% liquid. This approach is likely to require the introduction of lined glasses over a period of time, and has been resisted by licensees on the grounds of the additional cost of new glasses.
2.Give legal effect to the BBPA’s recommendation that not less than 95% liquid should be served in brim measure glasses.

Ideal conclusion: Serve a full pint, nothing more and nothing less...and respond knowingly, clearly and courteously to any customers concern and perhaps they'll return or recommend you.

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