House drink for pensioners: Löwenbräu forces Garmisch-Partenkirchner to drive to Munich

House drink for pensioners: Löwenbräu forces Garmisch-Partenkirchner to drive to Munich

The former employees of Löwenbräu in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district are faced with an unexpected change, which significantly limits their tradition of the "house drink". So far, the pensioners have been able to conveniently pick up their monthly claims to three boxes of beer or non-alcoholic drinks in the beverage market in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Now, however, you have to take a 100 -kilometer trip to Munich to get your drinks. The changeover causes displeasure and it is speculated that there is a conscious decision on the part of the company.

Friedl Ostler, one of the former employees, expresses the resentment of his peers: "an absurdity," he says. Many of the pensioners are restricted in their mobility, so that the intended collection in Munich is a major challenge for them. The ecological aspect also causes irritation: "The big breweries are trying to do sustainably, but this looks like a contradiction," argues Ostler and wonders why pensioners should travel across the country for a few boxes.

old custom under pressure

The history of the house drink goes far back and is a well -known custom in Bavarian breweries. For Ostler, who worked for Löwenbräu for over 20 years, these drinks are not only a reward, but also part of his pension. "It is almost part of our pension," he emphasizes, while the cost of living is steadily increasing. The withdrawal from the company's previous delivery emphasizes a growing gap between the former employees and the current management.

So far, the house drink has been sold by the local beverage dealer Höck. The latter always considered the pick -up in Munich as a matter of course. Sebastian Höck, operator of the beverage market, did not see much more effort in it because he was going to Munich anyway. The sudden change of the group, which is now owned by the multinational company Anheuser-Busch Inbev, was considered incomprehensible by Höck. The group argued that this was an additional burden for the employees, and Höck would have agreed to maintain the delivery.

restricted enjoyment and bureaucratic hurdles

One of the greatest criticism is the bureaucratic complexity associated with the house drink. While the drink is not one of the tax -free discounts in income tax law, it remains unclear why the brewery does not continue this tradition. Antonius Huber, managing director of a small brewery in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, expresses understanding of the situation of his colleagues and points out that bureaucracy is now deterring many companies to implement such offers. The legal framework makes it difficult to maintain such traditions.

Ostler and his colleagues find it unfortunate that decades of practice is now under pressure due to bureaucratic hurdles and corporate decisions. In view of the enormous size of Anheuser-Busch Inbev, the world's largest brewery group, ask yourself how possible that such former employees will be refused to support such fundamental support. "If you can no longer afford a house drink, I don't know anymore," concludes Ostler, giving an insight into the frustration and the trust that has been lost over the years.

The pensioners are now waiting for a statement by Anheuser-Busch Inbev, which previously failed to do so, and hope for a return to traditional deliveries that they are entitled to during their active time. At the moment, the future of the house drink remains uncertain and not only signals a challenge for the pensioners, but also for the understanding of corporate ethics in large corporations.