France: French beer market is decreasing and Heineken France tries to stabilize its sales
French beer market has suffered an acceleration of its falling since the beginning of the year with 8% decrease of beer sales volumes following the 6% decline registered already in 2004. The figures were disclosed by Didier Debrosse, the chairman of Heineken France, at a press conference on May 3.
In the last 4 years the volumes of beer consumed in France fell by 1.5 million hl to 19 million hl, he said. According to Didier Debrosse, the decline has a structural character: on the one hand beer sales suffer from the general shift of the market from alcoholic drinks to soft beverages, on the other hand strong reduction of the number of cafés-hotel-restaurants (CHR), where 30% of volumes of beer is sold.
In the last 10 years, the number of CHR in France decreased from 200,000 to 160,000, commented Didier Debrosse. The sector of the CHR accounted for 12% of the bankruptcies in 2004 and 10,000 of work places disappeared. For Heineken France, which accounts for 33% of the French market, the second place after Kronenbourg, the loss of volume was of 500,000 hl in 4 years.
In order to increase or at least to stabilize its sales in France, Heineken France launches new less alcoholic products, like aromatised beers with 3 % of alcohol (half less than one traditional beer), to allure women and seniors. Heineken France launches as well a plan of support the cafés with 15 million euros per annum: training scheme of the café owners, guarantees for loans and development of new concepts.
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