Carlsberg: We're probably not the best lager in the world - but our new one is better

Carlsberg has admitted its lager is "probably not the best in the world" after an increasingly negative reaction to its product and falling sales.

The Danish brewer has launched a new Danish Pilsner recipe and its "most ambitious and honest" campaign as it tries to tempt back disappointed drinkers.

It said that by acknowledging the "truth" about the quality of its lager up until this point, Carlsberg would hopefully be able to entice people to give the brand another shot.

The new campaign replaces the original slogan - "probably the best lager in the world" - with a new advertising campaign that declares: "Probably not the best beer in the world. So we've changed it."

Liam Newton, vice president of marketing, said: "At Carlsberg UK, we lost our way. We focused on brewing quantity, not quality; we became one of the cheapest, not the best.

"In order to live up to our promise of being 'probably the best beer in the world', we had to start again.

"We've completely re-brewed Carlsberg from head to hop."

The brewer shared some of the disparaging remarks made about its old product as part of the new campaign.

Online reviews had claimed Carlsberg "tastes like bitter divorce" or was "like drinking the bath water your nan died in".

The new product, which reached UK store shelves last month, has the same alcohol content of 3.8% but a "crisper, fuller flavour".

It also features new packaging that will reduce plastic use at the company by 50%, thanks to an innovative glue technology.

Social media users had been confused after the official Carlsberg Twitter sent out negative reviews of its product in recent weeks.

It said the campaign aimed to prove that "the value of brand honesty to consumers is more powerful than ever".

It comes after the maker of Guinness said it was ditching plastic beer packaging in favour of recyclable and biodegradable cardboard.