1 | Highlights
2 | Decreasing beer
consumption
07
The major trends that will influence the impact
of beer on the European Union economy for the
foreseeable future are :
Decreasing beer consumption
Changing patterns of beer consumption
Higher prices for agricultural products
Increasing tax burden
Four major developments
Consumption of beer per capita is decreasing. Graph
7.1 shows this trend. For this graph we divided Europe
(EU, Croatia, Norway, Switzerland and, Turkey) into fve
regions.
31
The graph shows that the decrease in per
capita beer consumption is a Europe-wide phenomenon
and for some regions started several years ago.
The decline is most long-established and steepest
in western Europe.
Decreasing beer consumption is a threat to the beer sector
itself, but also for its wider contribution to the economy of
Europe. Decreasing consumption results in fewer jobs, less
value added and reduced government revenues.
›
Graph 7.1. / 2004-2010 development in the consumption
of beer per capita (litre)
›
Source : The Brewers of Europe, national brewers associations
31
Europe – North stands for Ireland, United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Norway, Europe – South for Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Croatia and
Turkey, Europe – West for Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Europe – Central for Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Hungary, and fnally Europe – East for Bulgaria, Czech
Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
40
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
60
80
100
Europe - Central
Europe - East
Europe - North
Europe - South
Europe - West
47
Major developments