Beer sales in Switzerland watered down by bad weather

Brewers struggled in Switzerland over the past year, partly because of the bad weather. Beer sales shrank again, and for the first time per capita consumption fell below 50 litres. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The years-long downward trend thus continues: total beer sales fell by 1.6% to 4.5 million hectolitres in the past 2023/24 brewing year (as at the end of September), the Swiss Brewers' Association said on Thursday. Swiss breweries were hit harder: domestic output fell by 1.7% to 3.5 million hectolitres. Meanwhile, beer imports fell by 1.3% to 0.96 million hectolitres. Imported beers from abroad accounted for 21.4% of the total market. Around ten years ago, the import share had peaked at 26%. Wet weather hits thirst The bad weather has curbed the thirst for beer. Most areas of Switzerland experienced above-average rainfall in spring. There were few opportunities to enjoy a beer outside and in company, explained Brewers' Association director ...