World: Global beer consumption up 4% in 2021

Global beer consumption in 2021 grew 4.0 percent from a year earlier for the first rise in two years, as sales at restaurants recovered following the coronavirus pandemic, according to data compiled by a major Japanese beverage company.

Global consumption totalled around 185.60 million kilolitres, with China ranking top for the 19th consecutive year at 38.09 million kl, up 5.6 percent, according to data released by Kirin Holdings Co.

China was followed by the United States at 24.17 million kl, up 1.1 percent, and Brazil at 14.54 million kl, up 5.0 percent, Kirin said.

Japan fell to eighth from seventh place in 2020, with its consumption down 5.2 percent to 4.18 million kl on the back of protracted pandemic-related requests for eating and drinking establishments not to serve alcohol.

Britain moved to seventh place from ninth with a 12.7 percent increase after its consumption in 2020 plummeted due to strict pandemic curbs.

Asia topped beer consumption by region for the 14th consecutive year, accounting for 31.4 percent of the total, followed by Europe with 26.5 percent.

In terms of annual per capita beer consumption, the Czech Republic took first place for the 29th straight year at 184.1 litres.

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