Irish Supping Less in Recession

I spotted this and thought it worth sharing, as it seems to contradict experience here a little bit.

Irish pubs have reported a 20% plunge in pub draught sales in November, said the Herald newspaper on December, 15. Industry experts are describing the crisis as "meltdown" for the market, which has seen an even bigger drop in the sale of bottle and canned beer - at 25%

This follows drops of 8% for draught beer and 10% for canned beer the previous month. Internal statistics compiled by the country’s biggest brewers shows only cheaper brands are holding steady as consumer spending wanes. Sources predicted the financial pressure of the sales slump will lead more pubs to close or go into examinership. (Whatever that is!)

For the year so far, beer sales are down 5%. However, the rate of the fall accelerated as consumer confidence plummeted in the face of recession. Pubs and shops are finding it hardest to sell premium brands as drinkers face a leaner Christmas and prepare for the predicted financial woes of the new year. Cheaper drinks such as Bavaria, Tuborg and Dutch Gold are maintaining their sales figures.

So it seems that even supermarkets in Ireland are struggling to sell beer, but not the cheap stuff. It is interesting that pub sales fell less than canned and bottled sales.

Any lessons for us in the UK there?