Saturday, 29 January 2011

The dirty tricksters

Shades of the Anti-Saloon League's pamphlets denouncing what was known as the 'liquor trust' creeping into a BBC Newsbeat article about how the pub business works. In this thrilling exposé, intrepid reporter Jim Reed exposes the 'Five tricks to make you buy more booze'.

Newsbeat spoke to insiders to see what the top five drinks industry tricks are.

A more cynical man than I would translate this as "We spent the day in the pub chatting to the barmaid."

The 'tricks' include "Skilled Staff" (the swine!) and "Cocktails" (how could they?!). The article could more accurately be called 'Five ways bars use best practice to make your buy their booze', but when it comes to the demon drink there is no such thing as competing for market share.


Go have a read, but hold back the rage as you discover how those tricksters in the drinks industry take advantage of people who go to the pub with the best of intentions and end up being sold alcohol against their will.

"I've worked in bars which just refused to hire unattractive staff," 24-year-old David told Newsbeat.

Outrageous!

And noticed those frosted "extra cold" pumps covered in condensation? They're the latest marketing gimmick.

How do these people sleep at night?

2 comments:

Trooper Thompson said...

Happens to me all the time. I walk into a pub, minding my own business, and the next thing I know I've bought a drink. This article doesn't even mention that most pernicious trick they employ: making their dastardly products taste so good. Damn you, Mister Guinness!

Anonymous said...

"The typical 20-year-old drinks nine pints of beer or five glasses of wine a week."

Should that not read NIGHT ??