The freezing weather at the start of the year has been blamed for an 8.8% fall in pub beer sales.
The latest UK Quarterly Beer Barometer, compiled by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) also revealed that overall beer sales were down by 5.1% in the first quarter of 2010.
It said the 8.8% fall in pub beer sales meant that 6.9 million fewer pints were drunk each week during January, February and March - compared with the same period in 2009
But, sales of beer in supermarkets and shops increased by 0.5% in the period, compared to a fall of 10.1% in the same period in 2009.
The BBPA is to ask the new coalition government not to increase pressure on the sector by increasing beer taxes in its first Budget on June 22.
Brigid Simmonds, the BBPA’s chief executive, said: “These new figures show the economic environment remains tough and precarious for Britain’s pubs. The exceptional impact of winter’s icy blast has taken its toll, but this does not fully explain the extent of the current difficulties facing the industry.
“The Budget in March raised our beer tax bill by a further £161 million. It means over the last two years beer taxes have increased 26% raising costs by £761 million during a time of deep recession.
“We are looking for a new government to approach the issue of beer taxation with a fresh pair of eyes. Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have stated that beer taxation needs reform and pubs need support because of their value to communities. It’s time to deliver on those promises.
“As a first step we are looking for the government to abolish the beer tax escalator. Secondly, if the Government does put up VAT we are looking for a compensatory reduction in beer tax. This would be a targeted measure to help pubs, because over half of beer sales are in pubs and 60 per cent of drink sales in community pubs are beer.”
The BBPA said that the year-on-year change in beer sales is improving – the rate of decline easing to 3.5% in the year to March 2010 from 4.2% in the year previously – indicating that there are some signs of an underlying improvement in the sector.
