CEJ 5

Greta Bishop

02-26-13

Brewer sued for ‘watered down’ beer

Independent.ie
02-26-13
Business
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/brewer-sued-for-watered-down-beer-29096767.html

Anheuser-Busch was accused of watering down budweisers, michelob and other brands in a class action case seeking millions in damage. The lawsuit, which was filed in in Pennsylvania claimed that people were being cheated on the alcohol content stated on the bottle. Budweiser and Michelob are said to be 5% alcohol content whereas some “light versions are just over 4%. Information on the lawsuit comes from a former employees at the company's 13 US breweries, some in top-level plant positions, according to lead lawyer Josh Boxer of San Rafael, California. "Our information comes from former employees at Anheuser-Busch who have informed us that as a matter of corporate practice, all of their products mentioned (in the lawsuit) are watered down," Mr Boxer said. "It's a simple cost-saving measure, and it's very significant." The water added before bottling reduces the alcohol content by 3% to 8%, he said. After merging with InBev in 2008 Anheuser-Busch, based in St Louis, Missouri, became the world’s largest alcohol producer.
I don’t think that this has much of an effect on me but some people may be mad that they are paying for beer that is less alcohol than originally stated. I don’t think that there is a bias in this article because the author gives quotes from both parties and tells both sides of the story without stating his opinion. I don’t think that this story is very meaningful but I think it has another meaning. Because Anheuser-Busch is such a big company they may feel that they can get away with cheating people. Who is to say that this isn’t happening all around? I think that the lawsuit won’t work, the whole story will be covered up and Anheuser-Busch will go back to being the billion dollar corporation. On the other hand maybe I’m wrong?