Guinness supplies to pubs have been limited in the run-up to Christmas following a boom in sales and reported spate of panic buying.
Brewer Diageo PLC (LSE:DGE) said the number of kegs UK hospitality venues could order was being “managed” after a spike in demand during the likes of recent international rugby fixtures.
Supplies of the Irish-made stout have also been strained owing to so-called ‘Guinnfluencers’, which have boosted the drink’s popularity among women and young people, The Times reported.
“Over the past month we have seen exceptional consumer demand for Guinness in Great Britain,” a Diageo spokesperson said.
“We have maximised supply and we are working proactively with our customers to manage the distribution to trade as efficiently as possible.”
Diageo had reportedly been working at 100% production capacity, with supplies being allocated on a weekly basis to ensure adequate stock for the Christmas period.
Guinness is made and exported from Dublin’s St James's Gate brewery, with another facility under construction in County Kildare.
Diageo shares climbed 0.8% on Thursday.