Thirty-nine supermarket beers sold as foreign are brewed in Britain
New UK site Pretend Pint reads the small print on the can, names the “pretenders”, and points drinkers at beers that are what they say they are.
A new independent resource, Pretend Pint (https://pretendpint.com/), catalogues supermarket beers sold under foreign branding that are actually brewed in Britain, alongside genuine imports and honest British brands.
Founder Mark Porter, a marketing consultant based in Berkshire, built the site after getting fed up with lager dressed as Spanish, Italian or Mexican that turns out to be made in Britain when you read the tiny print on the pack.
“I’m not saying don’t drink them. I’m saying look at the can. A lot of what we buy as Spanish or Italian lager is brewed in Yorkshire, Staffordshire or Manchester. That’s been true for years. What’s new is putting every supermarket example in one place, with sources, so you can decide for yourself.” — Mark Porter, Founder, Pretend Pint
Key findings
39 “pretenders” so far: beers sold under foreign branding (name, flag, pack story) and brewed in Britain. Each entry is sourced and dated.
148 beers checked in total. Where the site is not sure, it says so.
48 are what they say they are: genuine imports, or British brands that do not pretend to be from somewhere else.
The clearest evidence is on the can. UK labelling requires the producer to be named. The back of the pack often contradicts the front.
Strength is a secondary clue, not the lead story. Many UK versions are weaker than the home-market beer, and several sit at 3.4% (under the UK duty step at 3.5%). The main point remains foreign branding on a British brew.
Named examples
Madrí Excepcional — Sold with Spanish branding and Madrid imagery. Brewed in Britain at Tadcaster and Burton upon Trent by Molson Coors. Created for the UK market in 2020. There is no Spanish original to compare with.
Birra Moretti L’Autentica — Sold as Italian. Mainstream UK supermarket stock is brewed by Heineken UK in Manchester.
Staropramen Premium Czech Lager — Sold as Czech. UK supermarket volume is licence-brewed by Molson Coors in Burton and/or Tadcaster.
The same pattern appears across other familiar supermarket names. Full lists, supermarket round-ups, and “how to read a can” guidance are on the site.
Methodology
Primary sources are supermarket product pages (producer wording on the pack), brewery and brand sites, trade press, and published company statements. Each beer page carries a verification level: Verified, Partly verified, or Unverified.
“Sold as foreign” means the branding presents another country. It does not mean illegal labelling or fraud. Licence brewing in Britain has been normal for decades. Pretend Pint’s job is to make the gap between pack theatre and brewery address easy to check.
The dataset is living. Listings change. Corrections are welcome at mark@pretendpint.com.
Notes for editors
Site: https://pretendpint.com/
Interview / further detail: Mark Porter, mark@pretendpint.com
High-res charts and can photos available on request
Recent trade coverage: Jessica Mason, the drinks business, 9 September 2026 — “Is your beer being ‘deceptive’ about where it is brewed?” https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2026/09/is-your-beer-being-deceptive-about-where-it-is-brewed/
For more information:
Mark Porter, Founder, Pretend Pint
Third-party news items are published as received for informational purposes. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Guild. Please use the contact details within the post for any enquiries.
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