CAMRA Report Reveals Big Brewery Dominance
A new report from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has laid bare the extent of corporate control over the UK beer market, with four global giants now accounting for 80% of all beer sold in the country. The report calls on the competition watchdog to investigate what it describes as a stranglehold that is squeezing out smaller, independent breweries and limiting consumer choice.
According to CAMRA's data, the market is dominated by a small clique of multinational corporations, leaving little room for independent brewers to compete. Ash Corbett-Collins, chairman of CAMRA, said: “Ordinary drinkers are being short-changed when it comes to choice and quality.” The report highlights that seven out of the ten most popular craft beers are actually produced by these same four global players, undermining the perception of variety in the sector.
Independent Breweries Closing at Alarming Rate
The scale of the crisis facing independent brewers is stark. Figures collected by the Society of Independent Brewers & Associates show that 137 independent breweries went out of business in 2025 alone, leaving just 1,578 in operation at the start of 2026. This represents a significant decline in the number of small producers able to get their beers into pubs and shops.
To put the market shift into perspective, in 1990, 96% of the UK beer market was owned by British companies. Since then, foreign mega-corporations have acquired historic and fast-growing independent breweries, consolidating their grip on the industry. The report argues that this trend has reduced diversity and innovation in brewing.
Closures and Production Moves Hit Historic Breweries
The impact of multinational ownership is being felt across the country. Earlier this year, American-owned Molson Coors announced the closure of Sharp’s Brewery in Cornwall, with production transferred to other sites. In the previous 12 months, the Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company shut down the historic Banks’s Brewery premises in Wolverhampton, ending a long tradition of local brewing.
These closures are part of a wider pattern, according to the report, where global companies axe manufacturing sites to cut costs and centralise production. This not only affects jobs but also the character of local beers that have been brewed for generations.
Calls for Government Action
CAMRA is urging the Government to move beyond vague promises of supporting the Great British pub and take concrete action to back independent brewers. The pressure group wants ministers to introduce supportive policies that would stimulate the independent sector, arguing that this would keep local money in the economy and create genuine jobs.
Corbett-Collins said: “The Government needs to step up, start taking the issue seriously, and take action that matches up to their statements about supporting pubs and the communities they serve. Andy Burnham MP recently said that ‘people need to be able to look forward to a night out’. The best way they can deliver on that is by ordering a proper market investigation to sort this mess out and deliver a fair deal for publicans and drinkers, and the independent brewers that they want to support.”
Tim Webb, editor of the report, added: “The fact that a narrow clique of multinational corporations dominates the UK brewing industry is a national embarrassment. They only make beers that suit their production facilities, ignoring the types that beer lovers want to drink. They do not know how to reverse beer’s downward spiral, make little profit, and brew nothing worth exporting. They cannot grow the UK economy.”
Impact on Consumers and the Economy
The report warns that the lack of competition is harming consumers, who face a narrower choice of beers and potentially lower quality. It also argues that the dominance of global firms stifles economic growth, as independent breweries are more likely to reinvest profits locally and create jobs. CAMRA is calling for a full market investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority to address the issue and ensure a fair deal for all.
