Wetherspoons to stop selling EU spirits

[northwichcat]

Pub company JD Wetherspoon will offer more drinks from the UK in a bid to crack down on drinks which come from the EU including Jägermeister and French liquors.

The company will increase its range of drinks from UK and non-EU producers from later this month, it has announced.

The move is said to lead to lower prices across its 880 pubs from September 26.

Which drinks will no longer be sold?

• Jägermeister (a herbal liqueur from Germany)
• French brandy Courvoisier
• French brandy Hennessy Fine de Cognac

http://www.itv.com/news/2018-09-12/jd-wetherspoon-to-offer-more-uk-and-non-eu-drinks-to-pubgoers/

I don't get how you can lower prices by not certain EU spirits unless Wetherspoons are implying some of their drinks are sold as loss leaders and for some strange reason they are all EU spirits.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I don't get how you can lower prices by not certain EU spirits unless Wetherspoons are implying some of their drinks are sold as loss leaders and for some strange reason they are all EU spirits.

Well it looks like, at least in the case of jager, they are replacing it with a British variety that no one has heard of.
So to me it appears like they are replacing them with no-name British variants that will likely be cheaper and potentially be of worse quality.

 

[northwichcat]

Well it looks like, at least in the case of jager, they are replacing it with a British variety that no one has heard of.
So to me it appears like they are replacing them with no-name British variants that will likely be cheaper and potentially be of worse quality.

So basically they are doing the equivalent of buying Tesco Value alcohol instead of the branded versions.

 

[carriageline]

Why? Have customers asked for this? Do prices really need to be any lower?

Just feels political IMO

 

[mafeu]

So basically they are doing the equivalent of buying Tesco Value alcohol instead of the branded versions.

Word is they’re looking to put their new line, ‘JD basics’, into supermarkets by the end of the year. They won’t be supplying the EU though as there’s concern the EU will consume the lot.

 

[Sebastian O]

Unfortunately they are blessed with a chairman that is childish and arrogant, who probably needs to speak to a therapist about his anger problems.

 

[northwichcat]

Word is they’re looking to put their new line, ‘JD basics’, into supermarkets by the end of the year. They won’t be supplying the EU though as there’s concern the EU will consume the lot.

Presumably they won't be supplying German owned Aldi and Lidl but will happily supply American owned ASDA.

 

[Mag_seven]

Is this some sort of pro BREXIT thing from one of the only two businessmen in the country who thinks its a good idea?

 

[gordonthemoron]

If they don't sell stuff people want, they'll go elsewhere, simple

 

[Mojo]

Well it looks like, at least in the case of jager, they are replacing it with a British variety that no one has heard of.
So to me it appears like they are replacing them with no-name British variants that will likely be cheaper and potentially be of worse quality.

It has been reported that Wetherspoon have conducted blind taste tests and the new drinks are to be more popular than the ones they are replacing.

Given this, combined with the lower prices, and in many cases

This is just a continuation of one that started earlier in the summer replacing many EU beers and wines/champagne with British and non-EU variants.

 

[WelshBluebird]

It has been reported that Wetherspoon have conducted blind taste tests and the new drinks are to be more popular than the ones they are replacing.

Given this, combined with the lower prices, and in many cases

This is just a continuation of one that started earlier in the summer replacing many EU beers and wines/champagne with British and non-EU variants.

Reported by whom? Oh yeah Wetherspoons themselves.

As I said, all they are doing is the equivalent of buying own brand instead of brand name. Usually you won't be able to tell the difference, true (especially as most people will be already on their way to being drunk!), but that doesn't make what they are doing anything different!

 

[Clip]

As long as they keep selling good quality beer i really dont care about the spirit side of things nor he reason for doing so

 

[bnm]

Whatever you may think about Tim Martin's politics, he knows his business and market.

Strong revenues, healthy profits, very good shareholder dividends, good staff bonuses. Wages before bonuses are above the National Living Wage. Zero hour contracts have been abolished. Promotions 80% in house. Excellent career training and apprenticeship schemes. Staff retention above industry average. Excellent customer service. All against the backdrop of an industry otherwise in decline. Wetherspoons is is the only pubco that is growing its estate in any meaningful way.

Tim Martin is a canny operator. Very open about his business. No financial shenanigans to shield the business from its tax liabilities. Despite the unfairness of taxes on the licensed trade compared to retail, Wetherspoons doesn't legally avoid any UK taxes. Certain other pubcos are more obfuscatory when it comes to their tax liabilities.

Incidentally, food and non alcoholic beverage profits far exceed those from alcohol. What leg wobbling stuff Wetherspoons chooses to sell may make the headlines, but the sucess or failure of new giggle water product lines has limited impact on the bottom line.

Register of interests. I have been a Wetherspoon employee, albeit briefly. I resigned as I wasn't right for the job for personal and health reasons. Otherwise an excellent employer.

 

[Mojo]

Reported by whom? Oh yeah Wetherspoons themselves.

As I said, all they are doing is the equivalent of buying own brand instead of brand name. Usually you won't be able to tell the difference, true (especially as most people will be already on their way to being drunk!), but that doesn't make what they are doing anything different!

As I have no reason to doubt the statements made by them, and there is no negative price impact, I see no problem with supporting the British economy (as many of the products they have introduced are British as well as non-EU).

 

[ComUtoR]

So to me it appears like they are replacing them with no-name British variants that will likely be cheaper and potentially be of worse quality.

There has been a very large portion of the retail market; especially in food and drink, that has been encouraging consumers to 'buy British' Quality of local produce and support for the UK is high on the agenda. Now Weatherspoons are buying British and they are being vilified and British = worse quality ?

The 3 new products are US/AUS/UK.

Well done to the Spoons for sticking to their values and proving that their stance of being pro brexit still allows for strong and competitive trade. People go to the spoons mostly for the price. It's cheap and cheerful.

I agree with bnm