France: Beer sales in France will register a fall between 5% and 7% in 2004, compared to the previous year, according to Olivier Picot, the chairman of the French Brewers Association. After several consecutive years of fall of the beer consumption in France, the sales had slightly progressed in 2003, by a rise of 2,6% compared to 2002, with 21 million hl sold in the metropolitan France (l'Hexagone), thanks to "the heat wave effect" of the summer. Soon France could become the smallest per capita beer consumer of Europe 25, behind Italy, regrets Mr. Picot. Olivier Picot attributed the negative tendency to strong competition in the beverages industry (especially within the alcoholic beverage sector) and anti-drink driving laws.

The Association of the Brewers of France gathers forty breweries with a very diverse size, and accounts for 99% of the market. For these companies, it is necessary to add some 200 micro-breweries installed on the whole of the territory.

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