Undercover inspectors from the Australian government have found that bartenders at pubs across the country are failing to pour sufficient amounts of beer and other alcoholic drinks in nearly one-third of servings provided to customers.
Inspectors posing as patrons were sent by the government to 436 bars nationwide in October and discovered that in 32 percent of drinks served, bartenders poured less than the legally required amount. The findings were published last week in a report by the National Measurement Institute.
The institute issued 130 warning notices for noncompliance and said the most common problems included inaccurate measuring devices, unapproved glassware and spillage during pouring, resulting in customers receiving less than what they paid for.
Beer consumption in Australia has declined over the past five decades, but beer drinking remains an important part of local culture for many. According to official data, alcohol consumers in Australia drank an average of about 82 liters of beer per person during the 2019-20 financial year. Hotel and pub owners said they are making serious efforts to ensure that every beer pour meets what they called the “pub test.”
“Unfortunately, issues sometimes arise due to faulty measuring equipment and liquid spillage, particularly during busy periods at the bar,” the Australian Hotels Association said in a statement released Friday. “We are working closely with our members to ensure any shortcomings are corrected so customers receive exactly what they paid for.”