HEINEKEN UK ASKS A SIMPLE QUESTION AND UNCOVERS A SURPRISINGLY BIG ANSWER
- New data reveals that HEINEKEN UK contributes £5.6b to UK GDP, spends £1b annually with British suppliers and supports nearly 100,000 jobs across the UK
- Short film released shines a light on the people, jobs and communities connected to Britain's beer industry
What has HEINEKEN UK ever done for us?
It's a simple question, and one that forms the basis of a new short film from HEINEKEN UK that reveals the often-unseen impact of brewing beer in Britain.
Bringing to life the findings of an independent study by Steward Redqueen of HEINEKEN's economic footprint in the UK, the film shows the business contributes £5.6 billion to UK GDP, spends £1 billion annually with British suppliers, and supports 97,400 jobs across the economy – that’s 39 jobs for every direct role in HEINEKEN UK.
The study also found that tourists spent £191 million on HEINEKEN products in the UK in 2025, helping support pubs, hospitality businesses and local economies across the country.
Inspired by a familiar comedic device that starts with scepticism before revealing a much bigger story, the fast-paced film follows the question from HEINEKEN UK's Manchester brewery to pubs and shops across the UK. It shows how the impact of beer reaches far beyond the brewery gates, supporting jobs and livelihoods across hospitality, logistics, agriculture, tourism and the wider supply chain.
Boudewijn Haarsma, Managing Director of HEINEKEN UK, said: "How often do we hear ourselves asking our friends if they ‘fancy a pint?’ And that phrase means so much more - meeting friends after work, watching a match in the pub, celebrating a special occasion or discovering somewhere new.
“But what we don’t always see is what sits behind that pint and the impact the beer industry has on society, the UK economy and the thousands of people and businesses that help make those moments possible. From our colleagues brewing the beer, to pub operators, farmer, suppliers, logistics partners and hospitality teams across the country, beer supports a much wider ecosystem than many people realise – and that’s something we should all be raising a beer to.”
The film will be shared across HEINEKEN UK's social and digital channels to celebrate the role that beer, pubs and hospitality continue to play in communities throughout the UK. Watch it below.