Global forces and the Western European brewing industry
Mike Blee and Richard W h i t t i n g t o n

~" s case • Western •:-petitive 5 zausing i-z -.—.nth closures

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on the European and examines of operating through

brewing

industry increasingly markets alliances in the

how the within global

consolidation within

acquisitions, This has resulted

the industry. reliance

of the brewers'

upon

super-brands.

- :~e e a r l y y e a r s of t h e 21st c e n t u r y , E u r o p e a n b r e w e r s ^ : e d a s u r p r i s i n g p a r a d o x . The t r a d i t i o n a l c e n t r e of t h e -=-.-.' i n d u s t r y w o r l d w i d e a n d h o m e to t h e w o r l d ' s l a r g e s t : - = w i n g c o m p a n i e s , E u r o p e , w a s t u r n i n g off b e e r . B e e r : : " s u m p t i o n w a s falling in the largest m a r k e t s of G e r m a n y = r d t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m , w h i l e b u r g e o n i n g in e m e r g i n g ~ a ~ k e t s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d . In 2008, E u r o p e ' s
_

largest

a ~ k e t , G e r m a n y , r a n k e d o n l y 5 t h in t h e w o r l d , b e h i n d

~ • ria, t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , B r a z i l a n d R u s s i a . C h i n a , w i t h I'—, a n n u a l g r o w t h b e t w e e n 2003 and 2008, h a d b e c o m e " r . a r g e s t s i n g l e m a r k e t by v o l u m e , a l o n e a c c o u n t i n g : - 2 3 % of w o r l d c o n s u m p t i o n [ E u r o m o n i t o r , 2010]. T a b l e 1 d e t a i l s t h e o v e r a l l d e c l i n e of E u r o p e a n b e e r : : - s u m p t i o n . D e c l i n e in t r a d i t i o n a l key m a r k e t s is due to s^.eral factors. Governments are campaigning strongly ; n s t d r u n k e n d r i v i n g , a f f e c t i n g t h e p r o p e n s i t y to d r i n k b e e r in r e s t a u r a n t s , p u b s a n d b a r s .