Brewers Association: Romania's beer market needs oxygen

Sold beer volumes in Romania reached 14.9 million hectoliters in 2014, down 8.6% compared to the previous year. Romanians drank less beer: the per capita consumption fell to 74 liters in 2014, down from 81 liters in 2013. This was due to the increase in the excise duty by 16% since January 2013, said Lucian Ghinea, president of Romania's Brewers Association. In 2014, the excise duty went up by 4.77% due to the exchange rate indexation used to calculate the excise. Brewers’ representatives said that the excise has increased by 50% since 2008. After two consecutive years of contraction in consumption, whose main cause was fiscal pressure, the beer market needs oxygen more than ever, concluded Ghinea. editor@romania-insider.com