Government asked to back UK grown and made cider and perry

The UK Government is being urged to put an end to industrial drinks made from as little as 35% juice, which can be taxed and sold as cider and perry. 

The consumer group CAMRA has started campaigning for the legal minimum juice content to be raised to at least 50% in cider and perry. To tackle this, and to limit the UK drinks sector being overrun by big global businesses, the group has set up an e-lobby so people can contact their MPs.

Authenticity

The group has reiterated that consumers should be guaranteed that they are buying quality, authentic real ciders and perries that contain more juice than sweetened water.

It highlighted that many independent producers make drinks with 100% juice, using cider apples and perry pears grown in UK orchards, and they’re becoming increasingly popular and valued with consumers.

A ‘reasonable requirement’

A YouGov poll commissioned by CAMRA also found that 87% of consumers favoured raising the minimum juice content of cider to help halt the decline of orchards.  In fact, CAMRA has said that it would prefer a minimum juice content of 85%, a 50% juice content in cider and perry products would be a reasonable requirement for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to consider, as it ensures that no one ingredient would be greater than natural fruit juice.

In the US, there is a 50% minimum juice content requirement for a drink to be named a cider, a similar requirement is due to come into force in Germany, and the European Union is now also considering similar regulation. Plus, Spain also bans the use of all concentrates in cider products of all categories.

Speaking about the situation, CAMRA vice-chair Gillian Hough, said: “In the UK, cider and perry can legally consist of 65% alcoholic sugar water. This cheap, sugary mess is added for profit, not quality, and undermines the delicious real cider and perry made by our hardworking independent producers.”

Hough explained: “Government raising the minimum juice content to 50% is desperately needed to stop the flood of ‘cidre industrial’, watered down products made by global giants, which confuse consumers into thinking they are enjoying a fruit led product when in fact it’s water and sugar led. This is nothing short of lying to drinkers.”

‘We are being fooled’

She added: “This campaign to combat commercial, industrial drinks is really important. Get angry about how we are being fooled. 50% minimum juice content for UK cider and perry needs to be legislated as soon as possible. I urge everyone, beer drinkers, cider and perry lovers and orchard fans across the UK to take part in our e-lobby and email their local MP.”

The e-lobby coincides with CAMRA’s Cider and Perry Month, an annual month-long celebration which puts a spotlight on these traditional drinks.

The trade and consumers can support the campaign by contacting their MPs here.

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