Czech Republic: European beer consumers criticise Budvar sale plan

The European Beer Consumers Union (EBCU) criticised the Czech government's plan to sell its stake in brewery Budejovicky Budvar, CTK reported May 27. EBCU Vice-President Laurent Mousson told reporters the privatisation may harm the quality of Budvar beer.

The EBCU is afraid the Czech brewery would get to the hands of US group Anheuser Busch, Budvar's rival in several trademark lawsuits worldwide. Mousson added the Czech state had no reason to get rid of the prosperous brewery.

Budejovicky Budvar is the third largest Czech brewery and a foremost beer exporter, as well as the last state-owned brewery in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Agriculture Ministry has recently started to look for an adviser who would help transform the brewery into a joint-stock company, a move that is generally perceived as the first step towards privatisation.

The EBCU has more than 110,000 members in 13 countries. The Czech association of beer lovers, Sdruzeni pratel piva, with more than 1,000 members became an EBCU member today.