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However, this number does not yet show the full extent of the drought. Because “the current winter looks like a zappenduster,” the director of the Swiss Brewers Association (SBV), Marcel Kreber, said in an interview with the AWP news agency on Tuesday. In October, beer sales were more than 10 percent lower than the previous year. November is getting worse. Now it’s going to be difficult. “
Because many Christmas dinners are canceled. That hits the restaurant industry hard, and therefore breweries as well, Kreber explained. There are breweries that make 90 percent of their sales in the restaurant sector.
These suffered particularly from the crown’s restrictions on social life. Restaurant closures, the cancellation of major sporting events such as the European Soccer Championship, the World Ice Hockey Championship and wrestling festivals had a total impact. Cancellation of concerts, open-air and other cultural events are also causing problems for breweries, Kreber said.
Pickles and bars suffer
Beer sales in the catering industry fell more than 23 percent in the last year of brewing. On the other hand, people went to the stores to buy beer. Therefore, sales in retail trade have increased by 7.6 percent.
This means that the share of restaurants in total consumption has dropped to 30 percent, Kreber said, while retail has increased to 70 percent. Ten years ago, the ratio was 50:50.
In total, Swiss residents drank 34 million fewer beer bars in the last year of brewing. Total sales were down 2.2 percent to 4.6 million hectoliters. This looks like a moderate decline, Kreber said. For local breweries, however, the situation is worse. Because national brewers would have suffered a drop in sales of 4.8 percent to 3.5 million hectoliters.
In contrast, imported beer rose 6.9 percent to 1.1 million hectoliters. This is the first increase in imported beer in six years. SBV director Kreber spoke of a turnaround. People went to stores and bought more and more foreign canned beer.
Theft after an acceptable start
And the beer year had started out pretty well. In December 2019, sales were almost 14 percent higher than the previous year. Then the lockdown resulted in a spring break. The months of April through June are the most important of the beer year, Kreber said. What you lose in these months, you never get back later.
After the relaxation in June, there was a final outbreak in September. “But the truth is that we are approaching the cold season and the alternative options to enjoy beer are no longer as diverse as in summer with garden, lake, mountain restaurants, etc.,” the association wrote. “This dry spell is expected to be short,” Kreber said.
No party atmosphere expected
The SBV director does not believe that there will be a recovery effect next year if the European Football Championship and the Olympics are held. Behavioral changes related to the crown, such as keeping your distance or meeting only in small groups, are too fundamental for this. There shouldn’t be a countdown to the holidays, Kreber said. Retail will be able to maintain its position, but gastronomy will remain in a difficult position.
“Before the big parties come up again, a lot has to happen,” said new SBV president Nicolo Paganini. Confidence must return. It was seen that although certain major events were held again in September, people did not attend. “It will take time until confidence is restored.”
Beer lives on social and sociability, Kreber said. “That is prevented by the restrictions of the crown. It takes time and confidence until the joy of beer returns. “
