Drinkers misled by ‘Spanish’ lager made in UK

By the Editorial Team · Monday, July 6, 2026

British consumer group Camra has urged the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate major beer producers for marketing beers as foreign imports when they are actually brewed in the UK. The move aims to increase transparency in labeling, protect independent brewers, and address concerns over market dominance by large conglomerates controlling much of the UK's beer supply.

British consumer campaigners have called for an investigation into the marketing practices of major beer producers, alleging that several popular lagers marketed as foreign are in fact brewed within the United Kingdom. The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has urged the country’s competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), to examine the labeling and transparency of beers served on pub taps.

The controversy centers on brands such as Madrí Excepcional, which markets itself as a Spanish lager with the “soul of Madrid” but is brewed locally in Yorkshire by Molson Coors. Similar concerns extend to other beers like Birra Moretti, San Miguel, Cruzcampo, and Stella Artois, all of which are produced within the UK despite emphasizing their European heritage.

Camra argues that the absence of clear information about brewing locations misleads consumers and disadvantages smaller independent breweries. The group is calling for either voluntary industry codes or legislative requirements mandating that pub beers clearly display the owning company and their place of production. Ash Corbett-Collins, Camra’s chairman, said consumers deserve honest choice and that the current market dominance by major brewers limits access to genuinely independent beers.

The brewing sector in Britain is dominated by four large conglomerates—AB Inbev, Heineken, Carlsberg, and Molson Coors—which control the majority of beer sales in the country. According to Camra, the share of beer produced by British-owned breweries has declined sharply from 96 percent in 1990 to less than 20 percent today, while overall beer consumption has halved as a proportion of the alcohol market since 1980.

Camra also highlighted that contractual arrangements often restrict supposedly independent pubs to selling a limited range of beers from these big companies or require costly fees for stocking products from smaller, local brewers. This, the group contends, reinforces the market power of dominant suppliers and curtails competition.

The campaign is part of broader concerns about the survival of British pubs, many of which are facing financial pressures exacerbated by higher taxes and pandemic-related restrictions. Hospitality representatives have called for tax relief measures such as VAT reductions to help alleviate these challenges. Tim Webb from Camra acknowledged the difficulties faced by pub landlords, noting that many accept deals to stock major brands for cost savings, even if it results in less variety and higher prices compared to supermarket options.

In response to the allegations, a CMA spokesperson said the authority would review the issues raised and consider potential actions based on the evidence and consumer impact. Representatives from AB Inbev, Heineken, Carlsberg, and Molson Coors were contacted for comment but did not provide immediate responses.

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