Carlsberg's new bottle not worth paying for
price of Carlsberg Pilsner in its new lightweight modern bottles.
The product, which was relaunched in September at a higher price in a new stylish bottle has since been suffering from declining sales, particularly in the off-trade.
But, from Monday it will again be the same price as the Carlsberg's Tuborg Green Label beer, which the company claims it customers have been buying instead.
Danish consumers have stunned marketing strategists by opting for a cheaper beer over these special bottles, which are lightweight, thin and more modern looking. Criticism has also come from restaurants and pubs who have complained of storage problems; Carlsberg Pilsner is sold in 24-bottle crates while most Danish beer bottles, including Tuborg Green Label, are sold in 30-bottle crates.
"People are not ready to pay more for a new bottle and crate." said Jørn Tolstrup Rohde, managing director of Carlsberg Danmark. But, he insisted, Carlsberg would not pull the new bottles off its home market.
The new bottle is in fact the same type that Carlsberg uses for lager in the rest of the world, where it is sold in more than 100 countries. Using the same bottle in Denmark may have helped save costs associated with having separate lines.
