Thus, 17 millions of beer hectoliters (namely 1.7 billion liters) were sold in 2013, 3 million hectoliters less than in 2008, when the industry registered a consumption peak, reveals a ZF survey based on National Statistics Institute data.
In brewers’ opinion, what drove beer sales down last year was the “fickle” summer season. Whereas for agriculture rain was beneficial and brought a 50% output increase, the beer industry suffered.
Beside weather, the lack of major football events was also felt on the beer market. The excise increase also contributed on the negative.
While the year had started with a sales increase as brewers rushed to bring their products onto the market ahead of the excise increase (starting February 1), the decline then deepened from one period to another. Thus, in the last quarter the decline had gone beyond 10%.
Romania is among Europe’s largest beer consumers, ranking sixth, after states such as the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Poland and Lithuania.
The world’s major brewers are already in Romania, fighting for an ever bigger slice of the industry valued at EUR1.8 billion.
The representatives of Romania’s Brewers Association have not published any data so far on the development of the beer market in 2013. They are set to release such data toward the end of March, but the latest figures released by the association show a 8% decline in consumption in the first nine months of last year compared to the same period of 2012.
Romania has 17 beer production facilities still operational as four breweries were closed down during the crisis. Romania is among the few states of Europe to see a fall in the overall number of breweries, while most states added new production capacities.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)