“In Romania, lager volumes declined by 8% in a market in which consumers have downtraded. This emphasis on the economy segment and bulk packs has involved heavy discounting and led to adverse brand and pack mix,” the brewer said in its financial report.
It said planned wholesaler destocking in the second half of the year also affected its activity on the local market.
“Our mainstream brand Timisoreana has been most significantly impacted in this environment, although the rate of decline slowed in the second half supported by effective promotional activity,” SABMiller said.
On the other hand, SABMiller’s economy brand Ciucas has grown slightly in the 12 months to March 31, helped by strong performance of the recently launched 2.5L PET pack.
The brewer said its revenue per hectoliter in Romania declined by 3% on a constant currency basis, which together with the volume decline resulted in lower EBITA.
Worldwide, SABMiller reported a 3% increase in lager volumes to 229 million hectoliters, while soft drinks volumes grew 7% to 49 million hectoliters.
The group said revenues rose 11% on the year to $31.4 billion.