Rosie Davenport
Retailers have expressed surprise at plans by Coors Brewers for a nationwide launch of Coors Light.
Details of Coors' aspirations for the 4.5% abv beer come nearly four years after Carlsberg-Tetley and Ubevco which distributed the brand before Coors entered the UK market last year launched it on test in Scotland with a £1.2m spend. Since then, the beer's national launch has been put on the back burner while Coors got to grips with its UK portfolio, which includes Carling and Grolsch.
However, a source close to the company confirmed that a dedicated team was working on a new launch for Coors Light, scheduled for later this year.
Senior buyers said there was some way to go before the UK market was ready because of confusion that the term "light" indicated a low alcohol content.
Citing Anheuser-Busch's decision to withdraw Bud Light in 2000 because of disappointing sales, one buyer said: "Coors Light has worked in Scotland because it's heavily discounted. I'm still not sure consumers know what the Light concept means. Other people have tried the idea and failed."
However, other retailers have said Coors' marketing muscle would probably convince them to stock the beer. "Money talks and, at the end of the day, if someone wants to support their brand financially I'd be a fool not to take it," said a senior buyer.
n Coors Brewers has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the FA of Wales. Worth almost £500,000, the tie-up will position Carling as the official beer of the Welsh national team.
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Retailers have expressed surprise at plans by Coors Brewers for a nationwide launch of Coors Light.
Details of Coors' aspirations for the 4.5% abv beer come nearly four years after Carlsberg-Tetley and Ubevco which distributed the brand before Coors entered the UK market last year launched it on test in Scotland with a £1.2m spend. Since then, the beer's national launch has been put on the back burner while Coors got to grips with its UK portfolio, which includes Carling and Grolsch.
However, a source close to the company confirmed that a dedicated team was working on a new launch for Coors Light, scheduled for later this year.
Senior buyers said there was some way to go before the UK market was ready because of confusion that the term "light" indicated a low alcohol content.
Citing Anheuser-Busch's decision to withdraw Bud Light in 2000 because of disappointing sales, one buyer said: "Coors Light has worked in Scotland because it's heavily discounted. I'm still not sure consumers know what the Light concept means. Other people have tried the idea and failed."
However, other retailers have said Coors' marketing muscle would probably convince them to stock the beer. "Money talks and, at the end of the day, if someone wants to support their brand financially I'd be a fool not to take it," said a senior buyer.
n Coors Brewers has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the FA of Wales. Worth almost £500,000, the tie-up will position Carling as the official beer of the Welsh national team.
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