UK pub chain, Heineken clash over beer cost

DUBLIN — One of the United Kingdom’s biggest pub chains has dropped Heineken products from its 926 properties in a confrontation over the Dutch brewer’s demand to sell products at higher prices in the Republic of Ireland.

Wetherspoon’s said Tuesday it has dropped Heineken-made products in retaliation for the brewer’s refusal to supply the Forty Foot, a second Wetherspoon’s-owned pub opening near Dublin.

The chain, known in Britain for its cheap prices and good selection, has spent years trying to crack the potentially lucrative Irish market but faces hostility from competition-fearing local publicans.

Its first suburban Dublin pub opened in July and has sold Heineken brands, including Irish-made Murphy’s stout, for 40 percent less than competitors. It says Heineken has refused to supply the Forty Foot unless it substantially raises prices.