World: Global beer consumption is forecast to pass 1.9 billion hl in 2015

The global beer consumption growth of 4.8% from 2004 was significantly above the long-term average, and also the highest annual rate recorded in recent history, according to Plato Logic’s latest annual World Beer Report.

Ian Pressnell, the Plato Logic director commented: “2004 was a ‘stand-out’ year, influenced above all by the strong growth recorded for China. Our latest forecasts for 2005 indicate global growth more in-line with the long-term average.”

The World Beer Report includes as well 2015 consumption forecasts for over 200 individual markets. “We expect global beer consumption to pass 1.9 billion hl in 2015, according to our latest projections,” continued Ian Pressnell, “which is broadly equivalent to a new market the size of the USA being added every 8-10 years”.

Plato Logic Looking at 2004 in more detail, found again East Europe a key growth region, where volumes advanced by 6.9% in 2004, following 7.4% in 2003. In North America, the US beer market saw o­nly a marginal recovery, but the results from South America as a whole were strong in 2004, with recovery sustained in many markets.

the launch of the new ‘third-market’ products In Japan helped the market stabilise. Although the recent phase of strong growth in Thailand faltered, good growth in Vietnam and the Philippines saw the Far East as a whole gain more than 3%. Double-digit growth in China, already the world’s biggest beer market, saw its lead over the USA stretch to nearly 50m hl.

More evidence of the dynamic nature of the global beer market, said Plato Logic, can be found in the latest packaging and distribution trends. For example, the volume of beer sold in PET (including PEN) again grew by more than 40%. “We have also identified the global channel split, with around 68% of all beer volume now distributed through the take-home market,” commented Ian Pressnell.

Every year Plato Logic produce a definitive and consistent table that accurately reflects the current status of the world’s leading brewing groups. Also included in the World Beer Report, which in now in is tenth year, are a table of the Top 50 global brands and an analysis of the leading companies and brands according to their international volumes.

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