UK: Heineken UK launches new low-alcohol beer Foster’s Proper Shandy

The launch was planned to help retailers take advantage of the trend of "macro-consumption to nostalgia", offering a British classic like shandy beer, that is mixed with lemonade or ginger, in a convenient format. According to Kantar, an English data and legal advice company, about 40% of adults want to moderate their alcohol consumption: Proper Shandy, stresses Heineken, was designed to satisfy these consumers with an ABV of less than 3%.

With the top shandies and lagers accounting for 4.5% of all consumptions in the horeca sector -we talk about more than 193 million pints, according to Heineken- Foster’s Proper Shandy aims to provide consumers with a quality shandy service at home since it is sold in multiple packs of four or ten cans of 440 ml. The launch of the new beer also marks what Heineken calls the "first innovation for decades in the category of classic lagers, with the aim of encouraging exploration by consumers".

"Foster’s is a well-known and reliable brand,” explains Richard Barnes, marketing manager at Foster’s at Heineken UK.

“There was a clear gap in the market for a quality shandy in an affordable format and at an affordable price. Along with the growth of moderation and the growing tendency to nostalgia. We look forward to seeing the results of innovation.”