Beer meets bubbles

Customs authorities in Belgium forcibly recycled thousands of cans of Miller, an American beer, after they took issue with its slogan: “the Champagne of Beers”.

The Comité Champagne asked for the destruction of a shipment of 2,352 cans on the grounds that the century-old motto used by the American brewery infringes the protected designation of origin "Champagne."

Molson Coors Beverage Co., the owner of Miller High Life, does not currently export the beer to the European Union, leaving authorities puzzled about how the shipment ended up in Belgium. Nevertheless, European Union rules firmly state that goods violating protected designations of origin are considered counterfeit.

While the situation may seem amusing, it sheds light on the ongoing battles over protected origins in Europe. From Prosecco to whisky, cheese to wine, the fight for geographical exclusivity continues to rage on.