Price of a pint sees 11% increase

The average price of a pint of Carling in Wetherspoons has increased 11% year-on-year, according to new data.

Data analysis from Pantry and Larder recorded how the price of a pint has been affected by year-on-year inflation and what that looks like at a venue level, specifically across British value pub chain Wetherspoons.

Using pricing data gathered at every Wetherspoons pub in October 2022 and October 2023 via the pub group’s app, the analysis identified how, currently, the average price of a pint of Carling in a Wetherspoons pub is £3.35. This has increased 11% since Oct 2022, when it was £3.02.

According to the findings, 740 Wetherspoons pubs have seen inflation over the last year, 58 have seen deflation, and five saw no price change. Drilling down into the data, the Wetherspoons pubs with the highest inflation rates are The Rann Wartha, Cornwall (42.2%), and The John Francis Basset, Cornwall (42.2%) while the Wetherspoons pubs with the highest deflation rates are The Golden Beam, Leeds (-20.1%), and The Myrtle Grove, West Yorkshire (-19.7%).

Speaking about the analysis, Pantry & Larder co-founder and publisher Veronica Fletcher pointed out that prices appeared to be region-specific and noted that if any pubs had experienced prices dropping that they were primarily in the north of the country.

Fletcher explained: “Wetherspoons has an extensive UK footprint, so this data provides a nice snapshot into how inflation rates vary across the country. While inflation dominates, 58 venues also saw prices come down. Interestingly, most of the pubs that saw deflation are in the North of England.”

Describing consumer spending in Wetherspoons venues, Fletcher added: “The pub chain recently reported a return to profit with Tim Martin attributing the improved performance to focusing on the ‘basics’ and competitive pricing. Analysts suggest that Wetherspoon’s relatively low prices mean it’s benefiting from consumers swapping from higher-priced venues.”