  We consider an effective viscous pressure as the result of a backreaction of
inhomogeneities within Buchert's formalism. The use of an effective metric with
a time-dependent curvature radius allows us to calculate the luminosity
distance of the backreaction model. This quantity is different from its
counterpart for a "conventional" spatially flat bulk viscous fluid universe.
Both expressions are tested against the SNIa data of the Union2.1 sample with
only marginally different results for the distance-redshift relation and in
accordance with the $\Lambda$CDM model. Future observations are expected to be
able to discriminate among these models on the basis of indirect measurements
of the curvature evolution.
