One of the World’s Most Popular Beers Is About to Get More Expensive

(Photo: Press Association via AP Images)

The price of a pint of Guinness is set to rise by about 20 cents in Ireland within weeks, a move that pub owners warn could deepen financial strain across the hospitality sector.

According to The Sun, parent company Diageo announced plans to raise the wholesale price of Guinness starting Feb. 2. The increase amounts to 7 cents per pint, but taxes and margins are expected to push the final increase for drinkers closer to 20 cents, according to The Sun. According to the Irish Times, a 10-cent price increase is also planned for Guinness 0, the non-alcoholic alternative.

“As industry-wide cost pressures remain elevated, this increase is essential for Diageo to maintain sustainable operations in Ireland,” Diageo said, per The Sun.

The company added that it remains “committed to support your business and the wider hospitality sector in Ireland, and value your continued partnership.”

For pubs, the timing is difficult. Industry groups say higher wholesale prices arrive as labor, energy, and operating costs continue to rise, leaving little room to absorb new expenses.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland, which represents hundreds of pub owners, said drink costs are now the single largest burden many pubs face. Chief Executive Pat Crotty warned that repeated price increases risk accelerating closures, especially in rural areas.

“Publicans are being hit from all sides, but drink costs are the biggest burden they face,” Crotty said, according to The Sun.

He said many pubs will have no choice but to pass the increase on to customers, a step that could reduce foot traffic and revenue: “This latest price increase from Diageo will put even more pressure on pubs that are already operating on extremely tight margins.”

Guinness has announced five price increases over the past three years, according to the VFI. Each increase, the group says, chips away at the long-term viability of community pubs that serve as local gathering places.

Crotty acknowledged that suppliers also face higher costs but said pubs cannot continue to shoulder the impact alone: “There comes a point where pubs simply cannot keep carrying these increases.”

The VFI is calling on the Irish government to step in with targeted relief, including excise rebates for draught beer and cider sold in pubs and support to offset employer labor costs. Without intervention, the group warned, more pubs could shut their doors permanently.

The expected Guinness price hike, while modest on paper, highlights a broader tension between rising production costs and the survival of traditional pubs — a balance that many in the industry say is becoming harder to maintain.

Guinness is the world’s 10th best-selling beer, according to Accio.