CAMRA is urging the government to put an end to industrial drinks made from as little as 35% juice by global companies, which can be taxed and sold as cider and perry.
The consumer group is campaigning for the legal minimum juice content to be raised to at least 50% in cider and perry, setting up an e-lobby through which people can contact their MP.
Many independent producers make drinks with 100% juice, using cider apples and perry pears grown in UK orchards. These are becoming increasingly popular and valued with consumers.
A YouGov poll commissioned by CAMRA found that 87% of consumers favoured raising the minimum juice content of cider to help halt the decline of orchards.
While CAMRA 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, it says. This would ensure that no one ingredient would be greater than natural fruit juice.
The USA requires a 50% minimum juice content for cider. A similar requirement is due to come into force in Germany, and the European Union is considering regulation. Spain bans the use of all concentrates in cider products of all categories.
“In the UK, cider and perry can legally consist of 65% alcoholic sugar water,” said Gillian Hough, vice-chair of CAMRA. “This cheap, sugary mess is added for profit, not quality, and undermines the delicious real cider and perry made by our hardworking independent producers.
“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!”
