World: Most leading beer producing countries report volume declines in 2020

China’s 2020 beer sales are estimated at 341.1 mln hl, minus 7.04% versus 2019, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier in February.

Germany saw beer sales drop by 14% in November and by 7.5% in December. Total beer sales amounted to 87.1 mln hl last year, minus 5.5 % y/y.

Japan’s brewers sold 44.3 mln hl of beer in 2020, minus 9% y/y. The nation’s beer output has shrunk continuously for 16 years in a row. Market shares changed slightly last yar with Kirin accounting for 37.1% of the market, Asahi for 35.2%, Suntory for 16.4%, and Sapporo for 11.3%.

Mexico’s January-October beer output totalled 96.6 mln hl, minus 8.4%. Export over the same period (almost exclusively to the USA) were 30.8 mln hl, minus 11.9% y/y.

Russia’s beer output increased by 2.7% to 73.1 mln hl last year.

Ukraine’s 2020 beer production totalled 17.97 mln hl, 0.4% less than in 2019.

USA’s domestic tax-paid beer shipments totalled 13.8 mln bbls in December, minus 0.2% y/y. January-December shipments amounted to 166.2 mln bbls, minus 0.5% y/y. Beer imports were 3.5 mln bbls. in November, +24.3% y/y, and 33.5 mln bbls. in the 11 months of the year, minus 1.7% y/y.

There is no official figure available for Brazil yet, private estimates are that beer sales rose by 7 – 10% in 2020, i.e. from 145 mln to 155 – 159 mln hl. Malt import figures confirm the positive trend.

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