Carling LOSES crown as Britain’s best-selling draught beer as sales of rival lager soar

ITALIAN-style Birra Moretti is shifting more pints than Carling to become Britain’s best-selling draught beer.

Punters splashed out £246.7million on Moretti in the last quarter — pumping up sales 9.6 per cent compared with the same three-month period last year.

Alamy

Italian-style Birra Moretti is shifting more pints than Carling to become Britain’s best-selling draught beer[/caption]

Owners Heineken, which snapped up the Italian firm in 1996, put the increase down to pubgoers opting for more premium pints despite an overall dip in beer drinking.

It was also boosted by a multimillion-pound, nationwide marketing campaign for the launch of unfiltered Birra Moretti Sale Di Mare.

Heineken’s Veronica Sica said Brits are loving Mediterranean-themed lagers, showing “the increased importance of great quality experiences and a willingness to pay more for them”.

Moretti is brewed in Manchester while Coors-owned Carling is brewed in Burton upon Trent, Staffs.

The American giant also makes Madrí Excepcional — marketed as Madrid’s Modern Lager despite being brewed in Yorkshire.

Data firm NIQ said its sales hit £93.3million last year.

And Cruzcampo, Birrificio Angelo Poretti, Peroni and San Miguel have all also done well.

Industry analysts CGA says last year’s top ten lagers also included Foster’s, Stella Artois and Tennent’s.