Portugal: Beer consumption up 10% in January � June this year

Beer consumption in Portugal has increased by 10% year-on-year during the first half of 2017, according to data from Nielsen.

If volume sales continue to increase at this pace, 2017 could be the year with the highest level of growth in the last decade, said Nielsen�s client development manager Tiago Aranha.

He added that both hospitality and retail channels registered double-digit growth during the first six months of the year. Around three million households consumed beer at home over the last year, which represents 76% of the total in Portugal.

After a period of declining consumption in recent years, "the penetration of beer in homes recovered in 2017, with significant increases in the frequency and quantity of consumption", said Aranha.

He pointed out that the three key factors to ensure further growth are the recovery of the economic situation, the increase in the number of consumers, and favourable weather conditions. The seasonality of the market is one of the barriers preventing increased consumption in Portugal, as almost half of the volumes are sold in the summer months

Beer is mostly consumed by individuals between the ages of 26 and 45, mainly men, although Nielsen says that an increase in beer consumption among women is evident.