World: Leading beer producing countries report declines in sales, except for China

China’s beer sales in January-March this year totalled 82.2 mln hl, 51% more than the corona-affected output in January-March of last year, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported earlier in May.

In Germany, March beer sales were 7.65 mln hl, plus 12.4% y/y; January-March volume totalled 17.6 mln hl, minus 10.8% y/y.

Ireland’s beer sales in 2020 dropped by 13.8%.

Italy reported a 9% increase in beer sales last year.

Beer sales in Mexico totalled 118.7 mln hl in 2020 (124.5 in 2019); beer exports stood at 37.6 mln hl (40.1 mln tonnes in 2019).

In the Netherlands beer sales amounted to 10.7 mln hl, minus 14% versus 2019.

Russia’s January-February beer output totalled 10.3 mln hl, plus 5.8% y/y.

Ukraine reported an output of 3.42 mln hl of beer in January-March this year, plus 0.1% y/y.

USA’s domestic tax-paid March beer shipments were 14.2 mln bbls., minus 2.3%, January-March shipments stood at 38.6 mln bbls., plus 0.7% y/y. Beer imports in January-February totalled 5.6 mln bbls., plus 2.8% y/y. Craft beer sales in 2020 amounted to 23.1 mln bbls., minus 9%. Craft beer market share dropped from 13.6 to 12.3%.