We consumed less beer last year

The beer industry sold 12 percent less beer in 2009, than a year earlier. The Hungarian market shows a 9 percent decline, domestic consumption has fallen steadily in recent years.

Sivó Imre, president of the Beer Association, said that the domestic producers paid in 4.4 billion HUF less tax in 2009, compared to the results of a year earlier. Their situation even became more difficult, because of decreasing consumption rates and the VAT increase. This year the producers, count with a 2-3 percent decline and trying to compensate the declining sales with new products and better marketing – reports penzcentrum.hu.