Camra is urging Government to raise the legal minimum juice content for cider and perry to at least 50%, and has set up an e-lobby so people can contact their MP.

The consumer group is campaigning for an end to “industrial drinks made from as little as 35% juice”. The group noted many independent producers make drinks with 100% juice, using cider apples and perry pears grown in UK orchards, while some global companies are making drinks using very little juice, which can currently be taxed and sold as cider and perry.

A YouGov poll commissioned by Camra found 87% of consumers favoured raising the minimum juice content of cider to help halt the decline of orchards.

While Camra said it would prefer a minimum juice content of 85%, a 50% juice content in cider and perry products would be a reasonable requirement for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to consider, as it ensures that no one ingredient would be greater than natural fruit juice.

Gillian Hough, Camra’s vice chair, said: “In the UK, cider and perry can legally consist of 65% alcoholic sugar water. This cheap, sugary mess is added for profit, not quality, and undermines the delicious real cider and perry made by our hardworking independent producers.

“Government raising the minimum juice content to 50% is desperately needed to stop the flood of ‘cidre industrial’, watered down products made by global giants, which confuse consumers into thinking they are enjoying a fruit led product when in facts it is water and sugar led. This is nothing short of lying to drinkers.

“This campaign to combat commercial, industrial drinks is really important. Get angry about how we are being fooled. 50% minimum juice content for UK cider and perry needs to be legislated as soon as possible. I urge everyone, beer drinkers, cider and perry lovers and orchard fans across the UK to take part in our e-lobby and email their local MP.”