Beer market flat in 2013
The Czech beer market was stagnant overall in 2013 with consumption of 17.1 million hl, pushing the per capita level of beer down slightly to 144 litres, the Czech Association of Brewers and Maltsters reported in April 2014. While Czechs are still the global leaders in beer drinking, these numbers mask huge changes in where and what the Czechs are drinking.
The largest change was in the off-premise’s share of the market, climbing two percentage points to 59 percent. “This 41 percent figure for the on-premise is a historic minimum. It used to be 70:30,” said Frantisek Samal, Chairman of the Czech Association of Brewers and Maltsters. He pinned the difference on two factors: the government raising consumption taxes in 2010 and lifestyle changes on the part of consumers.
The boom in Radler-style beer mixes ended during 2013 with production plummeting 40 percent to 260,000 hl. The market-leader Pilsner Urquell (SABMiller) has just launched a ginger-flavoured variant of its non-alcoholic Birell so there is some nervousness whether the Radler segment will revive or if the Czechs will return to their traditional pilsners. The Association attributed the drop in Radler volumes to a colder summer.
Meanwhile, in other parts of central and eastern Europe, Radlers managed to increase their popularity. Sales were 2.9 million hl in 2013, up from 2.7 million hl in 2012, says Canadean, a market research company.
Czechs, though, did drink better in 2013 as consumption of lagers (11 and 12 degree Plato) edged upwards to 44.7 percent while the lighter 10 degree beers fell to 53.9 percent. Specialty beers were again at a fringe level of 4.7 percent.
