No Guinness shortages for Northern Ireland's pubs

Pubs in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will not have any limits placed on the amount of Guinness they can order in the run-up to Christmas.

Guinness owner Diageo has limited supplies to pubs in Great Britain due to "exceptional demand" over the past three weeks.

The rise in sales of the drink in Great Britain has been put down to increased popularity with women and young people, with recent rugby internationals also putting a strain on supplies.

But on both sides of the Irish border the stout has long been the drink of choice for many pub-goers

Diageo told BBC News NI that there was no risk of a Guinness shortage in Northern Ireland or the Republic.

"As we move into the busy Christmas period, we will make all deliveries to our customers across the island of Ireland, as planned and without disruption," a spokesperson said.

Guinness accounted for about one in every three pints sold in the Republic of Ireland in 2022 - the most recent year figures are available for.

The brand's biggest market worldwide is Great Britain, while global sales of the black stuff are about 1.8 billion pints a year.