Beer falters in Germany

Mineral water now outsells beer in Germany as a result of consumers’ increasing concerns with health issues

Mineral water now outsells beer in Germany as a result of consumers’ increasing concerns with health issues. Health trends have also resulted in an increase in wine consumption, further decreasing German beer sales.

Between 2004 and 2005 sales of beer dropped by 2% in Germany and a new packaging deposit law is not helping German brewers either. As a result of this law, many retailers have stopped stocking canned beer altogether. This will have a particularly noticeable effect on producers of economy beer.

Meanwhile, Brazil, with an increase in volume of 7%, overtook Germany to become the third-largest beer consumer in the world, selling 9.3 billion litres last year. According to Euromonitor International, this is predicted to increase by a further 25% by the end of the decade.

It was further predicted that Russia is likely to overtake both Germany and Brazil by 2010, with the likelihood of an astonishing 50% growth rate in the next five years.  db February 2005