Guinness sales rise in Ireland but remain flat globally
Who remembers the infamous Guinness Light, a wheat beer called Breo and Guinness Black Lager? They were the not-so successful product launches by Guinness. Fortunately, others have done better. Last year, Guinness introduced a number of new products in the key Irish and UK markets, including two new porters and a golden ale, it was reported.
In the 12 months to the end of June 2015, sales of Guinness rose 2 percent in Ireland but were flat globally. In Nigeria – a key market for Guinness – sales declined, as they did in Indonesia due to adverse regulatory changes, Diageo said.
The decline in sales probably would have been more significant if Diageo had not launched a non-alcoholic version of the iconic Guinness stout in Indonesia, specifically in response to market demand in the non-alcoholic beer category, which is already well established in the market, according to Diageo.
Guinness Zero ABV was rolled out in September 2014, as the fourth most populous country in the world moved to block the sale of beer in convenience stores as of January 2015. Kiosks and minimarts were given three months to get rid of remaining alcohol stock. The government’s ban on kiosk sales is part of public health measures to combat excessive drinking.
With nearly 250 million inhabitants, Indonesia is a mostly Muslim country (88 percent), whose beer production is estimated to be around 2.8 million hl (Barth Report).
As the saying goes, “what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas”. The rest of the world will probably never find out to what extent Guinness Zero ABV lives up to expectations. Diageo said there were no plans to launch the non-alcoholic product in Ireland.
