Well, it seems that the financial crisis is affecting everyone, including one of the world's biggest alcohol manufacturers.
Fosters are going to reduce the alcohol content of VB from 4.8% to 4.6% at the start of August, in response to increasing ingredient costs, in order to keep their prices down. According to the VB Marketing Manager, this change will not impact on taste, and will make the beer better value for both consumers and stockists, whilst other brands prices rise. This move by Fosters will save them tens of millions in tax each year and follows a cut in alcohol of 0.1% in the middle of 2007 and will be applied across all full-strength VB products. This latest change will mean that the original 4.9% full strength beer created about 50 years ago is now 0.3% lighter.
To read more, click here http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25715780-661,00.html
How do you feel about this? Do you think beer companies should be reducing the alcohol content of their most popular brands just to save some money and keep their market share? Or are you happy with the reduced alcohol content if it means that VB remains amongst the cheaper brands.
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i am not a big drinker of beers but i,m allways looking for one thats kind to my waist so imigth try it
I don't drink much beer but l think it's a good idea to reduce the alcohol content. With so much binge drinking it's got to be better. I would be more likely to buy a reduced alcohol content VB. It might just make it taste a bit better too.
I think it's a good idea. No consumer wants a price rise and the amount of alcohol being omitted isn't significan't enough to change the beverage.
If someone is drinking the beer to enjoy it, it will taste the same. If someone is drinking the beer to get drunk, they aren't going to stop at one or two so no doubt the change will make no difference. Kudos to Fosters for not raising their prices.
My husband is a beer drinker and has tried a lot of different ones over the years, more often or not he will find one that he likes, and they change the recipe or reduce the alcohol content which he recons changes the taste, he now drinks tasmanian beer. Some times they dont change the recipe but reduce the bottle size and still charge you more for the privlage of a smaller bottle how do you justify that . Go ahead Fosters Change it and you will find that you market share will reduce consumers will looK for something better at a comparable price.
lowering the al. level is good, as this means you don't have to get shlost,drunk as fast. lower al. carn't hurt....
Maybe they should lower the price as well, I just hope coopers don't follow their ways that's all that matters to me as i don't drink Fosters, Anyway there are far better beers in this country than Fosters ,But then again maybe we should brew our own cause there is a lot of brands out there that may suite you and it is so cheap to brew your own
Choppa Mick
It is a business decision taking advantage of growing focus and concern over alcohol consumption in Australia. The current situation allows Fosters to reduce their tax implications and at the same time try and paint a picture of being a good corporate citizen.
Dont drink it much,but its a good idea.
Seems to be the norm these days.. reduce the contents and usually raise the price. A double whammy. Seriously, it's very annoying. Another instance are the chips companies reducing reducing 230-250g chips to 175-200g .. meaning not only are you paying more, you have to buy more when you're having a party or entertaining. Also chocs from 250g blocks to 200g. What's worse is when one starts this trend, the others inevitably join the bandwagon. Great!
I very rarely buy any Fosters beer as I am a XXXX man
Nobody would notice that tiny reduction in %. Lowering the alcohol content should be a good thing, especially if the taste is the same. Wish they could do that with wine, but low alcohol wines always taste soooooo sweet. yuk
Shou;ld have a niether
makes my home brew look so much better
It actually tastes like beer, unlike the fosters/cub stuff
It has a kick rating of about 5.5% maybe a bit higer
It costs 33 cents a long neck
I know what goes into it
and it gives me a special glow knowing I am drinking what I have made
With the increase in alcohol related violence I am all for the reduction in alcohol content in Foster's beer. Perhaps reducing the alcohol content in everything, coupled with reduced trading hours and an increase in the legal drinking age would help reduce the violence that is so prevalent and worrying in our society today.