COPENHAGEN , Denmark, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A report from Danish brewer Carlsberg Group said the sale of its beer in Russia and Ukraine declined in the second quarter of 2014.
Blaming "the impact of current market challenges," it noted a decline of over six percent in the sale of beer, by volume, in Russia, and a 10 percent drop of beer consumption in Ukraine. It added a 43 percent increase in a tax on beer in Ukraine affected sales and declining consumption.
Calsberg's Baltika brand is Russia's largest seller, and its share of the Russian market declined 1.2 percent to 37.4 percent.
Heineken, a Carlsberg competitor, said its sales in Russia fell by 4.2 percent in the first six months of 2014, reporting that "beer market conditions in Russia remain challenging reflecting the impact of weaker economic growth, lower consumer confidence and adverse legislation." It added sales volume improved, due to the effect of the World Cup soccer tournament.
Heineken's share of Russia's beer market is 12 percent.
