Letter to the Editor: Why beer is more expensive in Singapore than in UK? — Question to Lawrence Wong

Got a juicy story to share? Came across a gross injustice that needs to be heard? Want to have your opinion on current events made known? Email us your story with details and proof! Make your voice known!
[email protected]

Dear Editor,

I have recently returned home from the UK. As someone who enjoys the occasional pint of beer or ale with my meal, I was surprised to discover that for the amount of SGD 5.00-7.00 anyone could have a pint of draught beer in an English pub. There’s a great variety to choose from – Stella to Peroni, Heineken to Fosters and Budweiser to Carlsberg. Served fresh from the tap.

The British pint (568 ml) is larger than the American pint (500 ml). A large bottle of beer here is around 630 ml. So for less money than a large bottle of Tiger, Carlsberg or Heineken (SGD 6.50-8.50) here in our kopitiam, one can enjoy from the tap a pint of draught beer in any English pub. If one goes to a pub or restaurant here, the smaller American pint would be in the region of SGD15.00 onwards after tax.

The excise and duties here make our beer much more expensive than in the UK. I wanted to highlight this to the authorities because I think it is ludicrous. The quality of a draught beer beats bottled ones easily. The product itself is cheap, but the government makes good money for nothing. This applies to a host of other products as well. These are artificially inflated prices, hence inflation.

Cheers,
Lawrence Seow

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of The Independent Singapore.

‘Ok lah… mild-mannered… level-headed… suitable’ — Netizens comment on Lawrence Wong as 4G leader