Advertisement

World Cup victory makes Germans thirsty

The Local Germany
The Local Germany - [email protected]
World Cup victory makes Germans thirsty
Beer sales abroad and during the World Cup were behind the rise. Photo: DPA

Germany’s World Cup victory was also good news for the country’s brewers who saw a welcome reversal in the long-term trend of draining beer sales.

Advertisement

In the first half of 2014, beer sold by German breweries rose by 4.4 percent - an extra two million hectolitres or enough to fill 800 Olympic-sized swimming pools - compared with the same period of 2013. Brewers sold 47.9 million hectolitres in the first half of the year.

The Federal Statistics Office said on Thursday this rise was largely thanks to the World Cup, with the increase in sales mainly falling in June.

In the month the international football tournament began, sales increased by 14 percent to 9.7 million hectolitres - that was the best performance since 2010 - the year of the last World Cup.

Just over 80 percent of beer sold by German breweries was for domestic consumption. Domestic sales increased by 3.1 percent to almost 40 million hectolitres.

Exports soared by almost 11 percent with a 22 percent rise in sales to countries outside the EU.

The rise reverses a slow decline in German beer sales. In 2013, they sunk to their lowest level for almost 25 years. It was the seventh straight year of decline. 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also