After the market had managed to rise in May and June, basically offsetting the trend of decline recorded in the last two years, July was a cold shower for brewers, with not even the weather being of any help.
However, in the first six months of the year, the beer market stagnated at around 10.1 million hectoliters, making August results decisive for brewers.
In the beer industry, Ursus, Heineken, Bergenbier, Romaqua (through Albacher and Dorfer brands and URBB (United Romanian Breweries Bereprod), the largest companies on the market, focus their promotional campaigns in the summer, when they hope to generate as high a percentage as possible of their overall turnover.
According to data of the Romanian Brewers Association, which brings together these companies, beer consumption amounted to 8 million hectoliters in the first half of 2011, a similar level to that recorded in the first half of 2010.
Overall volumes in the beer industry reached 17 million hectoliters last year, 3.4% less than in 2009, according to the Association. At 17 million hectoliters, beer consumption per capita was 78 liters, close to the European average, with beer being one of the few drinks where Romanians measure up to Europeans.