CAMRA Advocates for Higher Juice Content Standards in Cider and Perry

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has launched a campaign to persuade the UK government to raise the minimum juice content required in cider and perry from the current 35% to at least 50%. CAMRA argues that many global companies produce beverages with minimal juice content, which are still legally sold as cider and perry. The organization has set up an e-lobby for citizens to contact their Members of Parliament to support this change.

Independent producers in the UK often use 100% juice from locally grown cider apples and perry pears, creating products that are increasingly popular among consumers. According to a YouGov poll commissioned by CAMRA, 87% of consumers support raising the juice content minimum to help prevent the decline of UK orchards.

Despite CAMRA's preference for an 85% juice minimum, they consider a 50% requirement as a reasonable compromise for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This would ensure that no ingredient surpasses the natural fruit juice content in these beverages.

Internationally, the United States already mandates a 50% minimum juice content for cider, and Germany is set to implement a similar requirement. The European Union is also contemplating regulation, while Spain prohibits the use of concentrates in all cider products.

Gillian Hough, vice-chair of CAMRA, criticized the current UK standards, stating that products can legally consist of up to 65% alcoholic sugar water. Hough argued that this practice prioritizes profit over quality and misleads consumers into believing they are consuming a fruit-based product.

The campaign emphasizes the need to combat the influx of diluted, industrial ciders produced by global companies. By raising the juice content requirement, CAMRA aims to support local producers and ensure consumers receive authentic cider and perry experiences.