The Netherlands | Heineken is facing a criminal investigation for not implementing the deposit on cans by the 1 April deadline, Dutch media reported on 27 July. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) in Amsterdam saw sufficient leads to launch an investigation.

Russia | On 16 July, Russia seized control of the local subsidiaries of France’s Danone and Denmark’s Carlsberg under a decree aimed at companies from “unfriendly” countries.

Italy | Good news from Italy: Beer sales are ticking over nicely. According to the 2022 annual report published by Assobirra, an industry body, beer consumption reached 37.8 litres per capita, two litres more than in 2021.

Germany | The cost-of-living crisis has reached supermarkets. While plenty of shelves remain empty as retailers and suppliers haggle over conditions to keep inflation down, beer prices have crept up. Super-deals of EUR 9.99 (USD 11) for a crate of beer (10 litres) have become a rare sight.

Denmark | Since 2018, Danish microbrewery and bar company Mikkeller has been struggling to pull itself out of an existential crisis, which dragged it into the red year after year. In 2022, Bjergsø Holding, which owns the brewery, bars and restaurants, made its biggest loss ever: DKK 107 million (USD 16 million).

Russia | Jägermeister is one of the most popular bitter liqueurs in the world. Since the German firm stopped exports to Russia, a local imitator has been trying to step into its place. The two firms – Germany’s Mast Jägermeister and Russia’s Kaluga Distillery Kristall – have been embroiled in a bitter legal dispute, with both companies suing each other for damages.

Central African Republic | There was one thing you could rely on in Africa: Despite recurrent insurgencies and political violence, breweries were never the target of attacks. This held true until 6 March this year, when Castel’s Mocaf brewery in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), was firebombed at night. Reportedly, 50,000 bottles of beer (empties) were destroyed. Damages came to USD 200,000, Mocaf’s director, Alain Heraibi, told French media.

Netherlands | Unilever is the latest company to be added by Ukraine’s National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NACP) to its list of “international sponsors of war”.

Czech Republic | The 127-year-old state-owned brewery Budweiser Budvar said that it has registered a fall in its 2022 profit and exports. Net profit dropped 40 percent to CZK 201 million (USD 9.3 million) over 2021. Revenue declined to CZK 3.031 billion from CZK 3.115 billion in the previous year.

Austria | A consumer watchdog objected to Brau Union advertising its beer brand Gösser as “carbon neutral”. Because, in a strict sense, it is not. A court recently sided with the activists.