Association head Andrew Highcock said brewers’ gloomy forecasts regarding the evolution of beer sales in 2013 came true and the situation is largely due to circumstantial factors.
Highcock added that beer sales in 2013 will go below last year’s level of 18.2 million hectoliters.
Association’s general manager Constantin Bratu said the 7% year-on-year increase in beer sales in 2012 was also due to a long summer with high temperatures and to major sports events, such as Euro 2012 and the Olympic Games. Over 98% of the beer consumed by Romanians comes from the local production,Beer consumption per capita stood at 90 liters last year.
According to Bratu, beer exports, which hit an all-time high of 230,000 hectoliters, accounting for 1.23% of the local production, are not enough to cover the decline on the local market.
Total investments of brewers in Romania currently exceed EUR1.2 billion.
Founded in 2004, the Romanian Brewers Association covers over 90% of the local beer market.