Switzerland: Thirsty Dutch fans help to boost Swiss beer sales by 20% during Euro 2008

Euro 2008's official beer brewers had seen a satisfying 20 % boost in sales during the tournament, thanks especially to tens of thousands of thirsty Dutch supporters, Reuters communicated on June 27.

Swiss brewery Feldschloesschen, a subsidiary of tournament sponsors Carlsberg, said it shifted an extra five million litres of beer through its exclusive sales arrangement at stadiums and fanzones in the eight Swiss and Austrian host cities.

The company said in a statement the figures for Switzerland showed a 20 percent rise in sales in the country compared to the same period last year.

Spokesman Markus Werner said the firm had originally targeted an increase of up to 15 percent.

Feldschloesschen CEO Thomas Amstutz said the huge numbers of fantastic Dutch fans and the trouble-free atmosphere in the fanzones helped offset poor weather at the start of the June 7-29 tournament and the early exit of the Switzerland team.

Netherlands supporters took over the Swiss capital Berne for their team's three group matches and some 100,000 fans were in Basel where the Dutch lost to Russia in the quarter-final.

27 June, 2008