AB-InBev’s sales drop in the second quarter

The UK loses its taste for InBev lager, British media concluded with some ill-concealed glee in early August 2012, after AB-InBev released second quarter results on 31 July 2012 which showed that it suffered a double-digit slide in UK lager volumes because of heavy promotions by rivals.

AB-InBev said the wet weather between April and June left beer drinkers less thirsty than usual and contributed to AB-InBev registering a 10 percent decline of its UK lager volumes compared with the same period a year ago.

Beck’s and Stella Artois lost share to rivals in the quarter, as shoppers switched from bottles to cheaper deals on cans. The declines in lager were partly offset by a 20 percent rise in sales of Stella Artois Cidre, it was reported.

Overall, AB-InBev’s revenues grew 4.7 percent in the quarter while volume sales dipped marginally by 0.1 percent, the brewer said. EBITDA grew 2.5 percent to USD 3.6 billion, with a margin of 36.4 percent.