Spain: Beer sales down 6% in 2008, but experts say no time to speak of a crisis yet

Spain’s beer industry is suffering from the most serious crisis over the last fifteen years with the sales falling by 6% in 2008, the Union of Russian Brewers posted on October, 21.

The CEO of the Brewers of Spain union (Cerveceros de España) said that beer sales were the index of the real economic situation in the country as the steepest decline was registered by the nation’s hotel and food industries.

The number of bars, restaurants and cafés is growing rapidly in Spain, but at the same time more and more bars are closing every day, which is a benefit for the remaining ones. Thus, experts maintain it is very early to speak of a crisis in the Spanish beer industry.

22 October, 2008