Micro-breweries in Quebec, Canada, plan to launch an advertising campaign to inform consumers of the difficulties they claim to face getting their products in front of the public, in the face of competition from the country's giant beer producers.

The move follows a legal case lost by the micro-breweries over the issue, when Canada's Competition Bureau dismissed claims that the country's large beer companies, Molson and Labatt used uncompetitive practices to prevent Quebec microbreweries from gaining market share. It had been alleged that Molson and Labatt had pressurised retailers into reserving premium shelf space for their big-selling brands.

Peter McAuslan, president of McAuslan Brewing in Montreal said: "The small brewers association is coming up with a strategy to properly inform consumers about what's going on."

17 May, 2003