Pubs in Majorca are running out of Guinness as British tourists prepare to flock to the Spanish island this summer. The stout is an exceptionally popular drink in the UK, where roughly 2.2 million pints are consumed every day. Given the Balearic Island’s popularity among Brits, with millions visiting every year, this shortage may be damaging ahead of the peak season.
One such holidaymaker is Geoff Edwards, who told The Sun that “all the busier Irish pubs I’ve tried are out”. He added: “We’re here another week so hopefully the suppliers get their finger out or I won’t be happy.” Sonia Rioja Brennan, owner of local boozers Dubliner Bar and Brennan’s Sports Bar, said her businesses sold 15 kegs a week until she ran out a week ago.
She told the outlet: “More than the money aspect, it’s a reputation thing. How can an Irish pub not sell Guinness on tap?”
Fellow Irish pub owner Eduardo, of All Blacks in Torremolinos, said he’s been trying to meet the demand by selling rival stout Murphy’s, “but it’s not the same”.
He added: “We’re really low on Guinness at the moment. I haven’t got enough to reach the end of the week. I know I’m going to have a lot of unhappy customers if the problem doesn’t get fixed soon.”
This comes as Guinness experiences unprecedented demand in Europe and the UK, prompting its parent company Diageo to spend £166 million on a new factory in Kildare.
Diageo chief executive Debra Crew said: “It has seen extraordinary growth … particularly at a time when the wider beer market is actually declining.
“Late last year, the demand was unprecedented. It was a sell-out period for the brand. We are working around the clock to replenish our stock levels and are boosting those quickly.”
In the four weeks leading up to November, Guinness sales soared 20% from the same period of 2023.
Then, over the Christmas period, the UK faced a national shortage of the beloved stout due to its unexpected rise in popularity, an event which came to be dubbed “the great Guinness shortage”.
This may have been partly down to the social media trend of “splitting the G”, in which people film themselves sipping until the remaining Guinness hopefully lines up with the middle of the G on the glass.
Guinness 0.0 has also become Britain’s best-selling non-alcoholic beer, prompting Diageo to almost double its output.