Austria | The first day of hearings in the “Causa Brau Union” was held on 11 February at the Vienna Cartel Court. The Federal Competition Authority had applied to the court for the imposition of an “appropriate fine” over Brau Union’s alleged abuse of market dominance. Heineken’s Austrian subsidiary denies the allegations.

Carlsberg receives around USD 320 million in deal to sell Baltika

Denmark | Carlsberg Group received DKK 2.3 billion (USD 320 million) in a cash consideration for the sale of its Russian brewery Baltika, the Danish company revealed on 6 February in its 2024 financial report.

Austrian brewers more than double deposit on beer bottles

Austria | The brewing industry has increased the deposit on returnable and refillable beer bottles for the first time in 40 years. On 1 February, the deposit was hiked to EUR 0.20 (USD 0.21) per bottle, from EUR 0.09 previously. The higher deposit already applied to 330 ml bottles. It is now extended to half-litre bottles.

German beer consumption drops 2 percent in 2024

Germany | Fewer beers were being sold in Germany in 2024 - a trend that has been observed for years. Overall, beer output fell 1.4 percent - compared to the previous year - to 82 million hl. Domestic beer consumption, however, was down 2 percent year-on-year to 58 million hl. This equals a per capita consumption of 88 litres.

Diageo says Trump tariffs could hit its sales recovery

United Kingdom | Leading drinks firm Diageo said that US tariffs could damage a recovery in its sales, hitting its tequila portfolio and Canadian whisky in particular. Reporting interim results on 4 February, the firm scrapped its medium-term guidance of 5 percent to 7 percent organic net sales growth, citing ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. Instead, it will now provide more frequent short-term updates to reflect the rapidly evolving market conditions.

Diageo rules out sale of Guinness brand

United Kingdom | In an unprecedented move, on Sunday 26 January, drinks firm Diageo officially shut down a rumour that its famous Guinness brand was for sale. Diageo also denied that a disposal of its 34 percent stake in the champagne and cognac business Moët Hennessy was on the cards.

Diageo sells Guinness Ghana to France’s Castel Group

United Kingdom | Diageo said on 28 January that it was selling its 80 percent stake in the Ghana subsidiary to Castel, which already acts as a brewing and distribution partner to Diageo in a number of African markets. The transaction is valued at USD 81 million.

Molson Coors buys stake in Fevertree and takes over US distribution

United Kingdom | Fevertree’s investors were delighted. Shares of Fevertree Drinks surged almost 24 percent on 30 January, after Molson Coors took an 8.5 percent stake in a USD 88 million deal. It gives Molson Coors exclusive rights to market Fevertree’s cocktail mixers and tonic water in the United States.

Czech Republic exports more beer to Russia than before Ukraine war

Czech Republic | Between January and October 2024, the Czech Republic exported almost 331 000 hl beer to Russia, media reported in January. This is an increase of 27 percent year-on-year. Despite the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions, Russia is the third most important destination for the Czech beer, behind Germany and Slovakia.

Belgium’s trustbusters probe AB-InBev’s commercial terms

Belgium | The Belgian Competition Authority has launched a formal antitrust probe into AB-InBev over concerns its commercial conditions breach EU rules prohibiting abuse of dominance and anticompetitive agreements.