Drinkers enjoying a Christmas tipple in Lichfield and Burntwood are getting what they pay for.
That’s the verdict of Trading Standards after more than 1,000 bottles were tested across the county.
Staffordshire County Council officials visited 484 public houses in a mixture of announced and unannounced visits and tested 1,250 bottles of spirits. They were looking for licensees who substituted branded spirits with cheaper alternatives, or who watered down the drinks or gave a short measure. Throughout the county only two vodka substitutions were found.
Ben Adams, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture said:
“This shows Staffordshire consumers that on the whole they are getting what they pay for in local pubs. In the two instances where substitutions had been made, officers issued a warning to the businesses to send out a message that local pubs need to act responsibly and in the best interests of their customers.”
Dip stick and gravity checks were used to check the spirit samples. These are screen tests and if there is a suspicion that the spirit has been tampered with, then a sample is sent for formal analysis.
Cllr Adams added:
“This news comes at a time when people will be out enjoying the festivities and while it’s great to be enjoying a few drinks, we also need to send out the message of responsible drinking so that everyone can have a Christmas to remember.”