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Heineken UK Lowers Foster’s Lager to 3.4% ABV From February

The change targets a cheaper duty band to keep pricing competitive during a shift toward lower-strength beers.

Overview

  • Foster’s will move from 3.7% to 3.4% ABV across the UK from February 2026, Heineken confirmed.
  • The reformulation qualifies the lager for the UK’s lower duty rate for beers at 3.4% ABV or below, introduced in 2023.
  • Heineken says extensive consumer testing found the new recipe maintains the brand’s taste and drinking experience.
  • The company has also signalled a 2.97% price increase for draught products in pubs.
  • NIQ data show off-trade Foster’s sales fell 13.7% to £252.8 million in the year to April, as peers including Sol, Carlsberg Pilsner, Coors Light and Grolsch have also reduced strength.