BLACK DAY FOR BRITISH PUBS

At her London pub, landlady Kate Davidson has taken to issuing Guinness ration cards, but the beer still ran out amid a British shortage of Ireland's national drink.

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Bars across Britain, even Irish ones, have reported limited supplies of the black stuff since Guinness owner Diageo announced earlier in December that it was experiencing "exceptional consumer demand".

"I'm a bit shocked because it's Christmas," said Ms Davidson, 42, co-owner of The Old Ivy House in central London, where an empty upside-down Guinness glass signalled that its tap had run dry. "I wouldn't have expected them to run out at this time of year."

A number of factors have meant that Diageo has become a victim of its own success.

Earlier in 2024, Diageo chief executive Debra Crew said Guinness consumption was up 24 per cent among women, as the company shifts its marketing strategy to attract new consumers.

So-called "Guinnfluencers" online - including American reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who has posted a photo of herself with the beer on Instagram - have been credited with fuelling the stout's appeal among Gen Zers.