Campaign to end frothy beer: Bosses call for end to counting froth as part of the pint after study found two-thirds of drinks poured in UK pubs contain less liquid than they should

Beer lovers are calling on the next Government to back calls to ensure that pub-goers are guaranteed a full pint of liquid by law - after a survey found that 86 per cent of drinkers are being short changed. 

A study by the the Chartered Institute of Trading Standards found that with an average pint filled with 96 per cent liquid, consumers are losing out on £264million a year.

The Campaign for Real Ale, which represents landlords and pub-goers, said politicians seeking votes should back demands for full measures when buying a pint in the local. 

The survey found that the average shortfall of beer during the survey was 4 per cent - leading to a weekly loss to the pubgoer of £1.70 per week or £88.40 a year. 

At £5 a pint, the average drinker is losing on average 20p worth of beer in every round.  

The Weights and Measures Act was passed in 1824 which determined for the first time the exact volume which should be served in pubs to provide extra protection for consumers. 

While the 200-year-old act said a pint should have a volume of 568ml, it was never said in law that the glass should contain that volume of beer. 

Some consumers enjoy having a head on the top of their pint, but CAMRA insist that this should not bring the amount of liquid below the level of a pint. 

Under the current law, a publican is not obliged to top up a pint if the head is too big - although many bar staff will add more liquid when necessary. However, if staff refuse to top up the beer, the consumer has  no other options apart from taking their custom elsewhere. 

CAMRA national director Gillian Hough said: 'The pint of beer or cider is part of our culture and heritage across these islands and it is right that we mark the 200th anniversary of the pint being defined in law in Britain and Ireland for the first time by raising a glass to our great pubs, social clubs, breweries and cider producers.

'But with too many consumers receiving short measures at the bar, CAMRA wants the next UK government to introduce a legal right for pub-goers to receive a 100 per cent liquid pint each and every time they are served.

'This would give drinkers a guarantee of getting what they pay for when they are supporting local pubs and breweries and would be a fitting way to mark the 200th anniversary of the great British and Irish pint.'

The CTSI also polled 2,000 members of the public about whether they thought the head should be included in the measurement of a pint. 

Some 35 per cent said the head should not be included in the measurement compared with 23 per cent who were satisfied with the current situation. 

John Herriman, Chief Executive of the CTSI said short measures were costing the average pub goer around £115 every year.  

He said: 'We are calling on the hospitality sector to ensure that consumers get value for money by making sure they are correctly measuring the drinks they are serving to customers in the nation's pubs and bars and for further research in this area.'

Jess Phillips, Labour's candidate for Birmingham Yardley said: 'The cost of living means people can hardly afford a drink. To discover you're being served short measures adds insult to injury. A short measure cheats us all, but affects those worst off, the hardest.

'Being able to afford to go out for a drink is not easy and you should get what you pay for. In this current climate, it is great to see this campaign from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute raising awareness of the important work of our Trading Standards profession.'