MURPHY’S IRISH STOUT FREEZES PRICES AS SALES SURGE BY 666%

To help support the great British pub, HEINEKEN UK is freezing prices of Murphy’s Irish Stout and is telling publicans: ‘Good Things Come to Those Who Switch’

Murphy’s Irish Stout has announced a price freeze for publicans in 2026, at a time when the Cork-born stout is seeing high triple digit growth in sales[4]. It’s expected the move will be seen as good news for publicans following the Budget which has increased pressure on pubs as margins continue to be squeezed.

With record growth, the price freeze on Murphy’s will mean pubs can benefit from the strong momentum in the historic Cork stout, as consumer demand rockets.

Established in 1856, Murphy’s Irish Stout has recorded year on year value sales growth of 666% and a volume increase of 607%, as the stout brand prepares for a busy festive period.

In the past year, Murphy’s, which is owned and brewed by HEINEKEN UK, has rapidly expanded its presence in pubs nationwide, with a rise of 480%[5] of the number of pubs serving Murphy’s on draught. To ensure pubs can continue to benefit from the boom in stout sales, HEINEKEN UK is freezing the price of Murphy’s for publicans and actively encouraging pubs to make the switch from the UK’s leading stout brand to Murphy’s.

The stout category renaissance continues to reshape consumer drinking habits, with Murphy’s winning over UK drinkers thanks to its silky-smooth profile, gentle bitterness, and iconic creamy finish.

Will Rice, On Trade Director for HEINEKEN UK said: “Pubs are under sustained cost pressures yet demand for Irish stout keeps building. Murphy’s 2026 price freeze is about backing pubs and giving them price certainty on a brand that is soaring in popularity. Murphy’s, first brewed in Cork in 1856, combines heritage with a crowd‑pleasing, silky and less bitter profile that’s winning over a generation of new drinkers.”

Murphy’s Irish Stout has boomed this year. Last Christmas, in response to reports that pubs were running out of the ‘black stuff’, Murphy’s took to the streets of London in a van emblazoned with ‘Good Things Come To Those Who Are Waiting’, to hand deliver free kegs of Murphy’s to lucky pubs in time for Christmas Eve. Sales saw a year-on-year growth of 632%[6] over this period and distribution and awareness of Murphy’s Irish Stout has continued to climb rapidly over 2025.