What are the practical challenges and steps for getting a product listing with Marstons, especially after their Carlsberg merger?

Members report significant friction in securing Marstons listings, particularly since the Carlsberg merger. The core problem is a circular referral process with no clear owner.

**The Marstons/CUK runaround:** Members describe being bounced between Marstons and Carlsberg UK (CUK)—Marstons directs you to CUK to handle the listing request, while CUK says Marstons needs to request the product. This creates a stalled process where neither party takes responsibility, and getting movement has proven difficult over months or years.

**Local pub group angle:** One member noted that if your local pub group is tied to Marstons, you cannot get shelf space without a formal listing. Asking the pub group directly to connect you with their Marstons contact may help, but this depends on the relationship.

**Contact recommendation:** Members mention **Helen at Hells Belles** as a useful contact for navigating this process, though specific details on her role were not provided in the discussion.

**Caveats:** The post-Carlsberg merger appears to have made the process *worse*, not better. Multiple members have been stuck in the circular loop for "a couple of years" with no resolution. There is no clear workaround reported—persistence and a direct contact seem to be the only tactics mentioned.