Purists against the pear cider naming

The labelling of this product angers traditionalists in the UK.

LA SIDRA.- The success of ciders made by Bulmers, Magners and Kopparberg among others, has brought into discussion if labelling their products as “pear cider” should be allowed or not.

This naming has upset traditionalists at the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), who say cider is made only from apples, while perry should be the name given to alcoholic pear drinks.

According to Gillian Williams, from CAMRA’s campaigns committee, cider and perry have been a British tradition for about 1,000 years and it is wrong to call some other drinks “pear cider”. Real cider and perry are between 6 and 8,5 per cent in strength, whereas most of these fizzy drinks are about 4 per cent. They also argue that real cider must contain at least 90 per cent fresh apple juice.

On their part, the Nacional Association of Cider Makers (NACM) in the UK maintain that drinks manufacturers are doing nothing wrong in labelling their products “pear cider”. For tax purposes a cider of perry must include “ a minimum of 35 per cent apple or pear juice” in making the final product. He argues there is no difference between “perry” and “pear cider” in how they are produced or taxed. If the industry feels this is the best name to explain consumers what they are drinking, there should be no problem at all.