The Bavarian Brewers Association is pushing for an increase in beer prices due to rising economic pressures, especially on medium-sized breweries. According to the association’s president, Georg Schneider, beer should be priced higher to sustain the industry.
Georg Schneider, president of the Bavarian Brewers Association, advocates for higher beer prices in Germany, one of the cheapest countries in Europe for beer. Schneider told the newspaper “Augsburger Allgemeine” that a crate of beer from a medium-sized craft brewery should cost between 25 and 30 euros to ensure reasonable economic operations.
Low prices are a slap in the face for brewers’ work
“My brewers are furious when a crate of beer is offered in the market for a ridiculous price of 9.99 euros. It’s a slap in the face for us and our work,” Schneider said, lamenting the lack of appreciation for their labor. Despite a slight increase in sales figures, Schneider anticipates a year as challenging as 2023. According to the Federal Statistical Office, Bavarian brewers saw a 1.8% increase in sales, reaching 1.19 billion liters in the first half of the year. However, in recent years, brewers have often faced declining sales.
Brewers are resilient
Schneider does not foresee a significant increase in brewery closures at the moment, noting that it takes a lot for a brewery to give up. “Brewers are highly resilient; after all, they work in a very emotional industry,” he said, adding that economic considerations often take a backseat. “However, you can’t live on losses indefinitely, even if some businesses sell properties to survive.” Schneider highlighted the growing difficulty of running a brewery economically under current challenging conditions, citing rising costs, numerous regulations, and decreasing per capita beer consumption as key issues.
