Global Beer Buzz – Beer Goes Postal In Russia, UK Pub Chain Goes Brexit And Beer Declines In Japan

Beer Shipments In Japan Hit Record Low

Japan’s beer shipments which have been in decline for 14 consecutive years, hit a new record low in 2018 with another 2.5% dip, according to figures published by the country’s five major breweries last week.

The drop was the result of rising retail and on-trade prices, as well as declining restaurant traffic, which according to the Jiji Press, was due to an uncomfortably hot summer and the growth of craft beer in Japan.

The overall shipments from Asahi Breweries, Kirin, Suntory, Sapporo and Orion Beer fell 5.2% down for the third consecutive year. Asahi Breweries still leads market share with 37.4%, followed by Kirin with 34.4%, Suntory Beer with 16%, Sapporo Breweries at 11.4% and Orion Breweries Ltd. with 0.9%.

 

Russian Post Offices Start Selling Beer

It appears that Russia’s postal system is as troubled as those in the US. And in an effort to bolster its economic bottom-line, post offices in Russia have started to sell beer according to the BBC.

The beer that is just beginning to make its way into the country’s at 3,200 post offices are priced up to 135 rubles (£1.60, $2).

Defending the country’s policy Russian Post’s Press Secretary, Daniil Skidan, told Govorit Moskva radio that this was not just about raising money but also about increasing access to legal alcohol and countering the rise of counterfeit products that “poison more than 1,200 people every year.”

 

Brexit This! UK Pub Chain Removes European Wine And Beer From Venues

Tim Martin. the head UK pub chain JD Wetherspoon and an outspoken supporter of Brexit, has removed all European wines and beers from its 900 pubs in favor of bottles from the UK, US, Australia and Chile according to the Drinks Business….

“Wines from France, Italy and Germany have been removed from its pubs, along with a third of draught beers from the European Union, including Denmark’s Tuborg, Germany’s Erdinger and the Czech Republic’s Staropramen.

The move follows Martin’s pledge to swap products made in the European Union for those produced outside of the protectionist bloc.”