More animosities in the Czech beer industry

2010-07-27

K Brewery announced that five of its breweries, including Cerna Hora, Platan and Jezek, are leaving the Czech Beer and Malt Association (CSPS), Prague Post reported. The company has joined two other breweries, Zatec and Chodovar, which decided to leave in April. Smaller and medium-sized Czech breweries have complained that the actions of large, international brewers, members of the CSPS, are harming the reputation of the Czech beer industry.
K Brewery did not level accusations against any specific member of the Association; however, it leaves no doubt that the complaint concerns Plzensky Prazdroj, the largest Czech brewery owned by the SABMiller group. Prazdroj launched the campaign in March 2010 by accusing other brewers of using chemical additives and synthetic extracts, and called on tightening restrictions on granting the EU-protected label “Czech beer” in order to protect traditional brewing techniques. IThe campaign was seen by many industry players as unfair and harmful for the whole industry, and aimed at increasing consumption of Plzensky Prazdroj brands. Prazdroj stopped the campaign after it has been widely protested in media.
This year, however, despite the fact Prazdroj had promised not to repeat any campaign that could have had similar consequences on the industry, it launched a new advertising campaign for its Birell non-alcoholic beer brand. The slogan used in this campaign caused the protest of another member of the CSPS, Bernard Brewery.