|
PRESS RELEASE: 25.02.2010 Domestic sales by the members of the Finnish Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry in 2009 Sales of brewery beverages decline slightly in 2009A total of 820.4 million litres of beer, cider, long drinks, mineral waters and soft drinks were sold. Consumption was down 6.8 million litres compared with the previous year, a decrease of 0.8 per cent. The figures are based on sales statistics compiled by members of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. Sales of Finnish beer totalled 419 million litres in 2009; there was almost no change compared with 2008, as sales growth amounted to 0.4 per cent. Most beer was sold through grocery stores. On-trade sales fell and accounted for about 16 per cent of total sales. 2.4 per cent of all beer sales were made through Alko.
Members of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry sold a total of 42.2 million litres of long drinks. Sales in this category increased by 4.2 million litres. Long drink sales rose by 11.5 per cent and exceeded cider sales, which fell by 4.9 million litres, or 13.3 per cent.
Sales of soft drinks totalled 267.9 million litres and sales of mineral waters 58.9 million litres. Sales of mineral waters fell by 8.5 per cent and sales of soft drinks fell by 0.8 per cent, or 2.2 million litres, on 2008. Sugar-free soft drinks accounted for about 35 per cent of all soft drink sales.
Can usage rising Federation members package their beverages in refillable glass bottles, recyclable plastic bottles and aluminium cans, as well as refillable draught beverage containers for on-trade use.
In 2009, over half of all beers, ciders and long drinks were packaged in cans. Cans were used for 62 per cent of beverages in these product categories, but for only about 3 per cent of soft drinks and mineral waters. The majority of soft drinks and mineral waters (85.3%) are sold in bottles.
Increased taxation and a rise in travellers’ private imports Finland’s beer tax is the highest in the European Union and almost five times that of Estonia’s.
“Alcohol taxation has been increased three times in just over a year. At the same time, the total consumption of alcohol fell by a meagre two per cent in 2009. The most significant consequence of the tax increases can be seen in the dramatic rise in travellers’ private imports of alcoholic beverages – a total of over 20 per cent for all beverage categories combined. Travellers’ imports already substantially exceed on-trade sales for the whole of Finland. If the situation escalates, imports could impact on employment; but above all, the State is losing an estimated EUR 200-250 million in tax revenue per year. The majority of imported alcoholic beverages are purchased either on ships or in Estonia,” says Tero Kallio, Managing Director of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. DOMESTIC SALES 2009
Source: Member companies of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. The statistics do not include sales by actors outside the Federation, nor private imports of brewery products, which are not statistically recorded.
Distribution Channels of beer (pdf) Containers (pdf) Additional information: Managing Director Tero Kallio, tel. +358 (0)9 1488 71, GSM + 358 (0)40 729 4513 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
