Steady domestic sales of brewery beverages – national export strategy required for waters
Domestic sales of beer, cider, long drinks, soft drinks and mineral waters totalled 161.6 million litres in January–March 2017. Total sales of brewery beverages remained on par with the corresponding period of the previous year. These figures are based on sales statistics compiled by the members of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry: Captol Invest, Hartwall, Olvi, Red Bull, Saimaan Juomatehdas and Sinebrychoff.
Member companies of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry sold a total of 81.4 million litres of beer by the end of March, representing a fall of 2.5 per cent on the previous year. 5.6 million litres of cider were sold – a fall of 0.7 per cent – while sales of long drinks rose by 4.8 per cent to 6.9 million litres.
Member companies sold more alcohol-free beverages than in January–March 2016. Sales of mineral waters rose by 8.2 per cent to 15.4 million litres. Sales of soft drinks rose by 1.2 per cent to 52.2 million litres.
In recent years, consumers have shown a growing interest in a variety of flavoured mineral waters. The beverage industry has been actively engaging in product development and has successfully met this demand.
National export strategy required for waters
Finland’s Food Policy Report (Food2030) highlighted the country’s copious water resources and how they could be harnessed. The report noted that there would be demand and good opportunities for both increasing appreciation for Finnish water and growth in exports of water-based products. However, Finland still imports significantly more packaged water than it exports, and uses only a small fraction of its available water resources.
“We have the best water in the world, with plenty of export potential, but only branded water is worth exporting. Finland should draw up a national export strategy in which all parties would cooperate on promoting exports of Finnish water. Export growth requires a strong domestic market, but the soft drinks tax is undermining our domestic market,” says Elina Ussa, Managing Director of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry.
DOMESTIC SALES, 1 JANUARY–31 MARCH 2017
| Beverage | 2017 | 2016 | Change | Change |
| mill. l. | mill. l. | mill. l. | % | |
| Beer | 81.4 | 83.5 | -2.1 | -2.5 |
| Cider | 5.6 | 5.6 | 0.0 | -0.7 |
| Long drinks | 6.9 | 6.6 | 0.3 | 4.8 |
| Soft drinks | 52.2 | 51.6 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| Mineral waters | 15.4 | 14.2 | 1.2 | 8.2 |
| Total sales | 161.6 | 161.6 | 0.0 | -0.0 |
Source: Member companies of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. The statistics do not include sales by actors outside the Federation nor private imports of brewery products, which are not statistically recorded. As of the beginning of 2011, the statistics include all the brands of the members of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry and any private label brands they produce.
Additional information:
Managing Director Elina Ussa, tel. +358 (0)45 269 7711
Communications Manager Outi Heikkinen, tel. +358 (0)50 370 8677
www.panimoliitto.fi, www.kohtuullisesti.fi, www.maljasuomelle.fi
Twitter: @panimoliitto, Facebook: /panimoliitto, Instagram: @panimoliitto
The Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry promotes the interests of producers of beer, cider, long drinks, soft drinks and mineral waters in Finland. Its members are Captol Invest Oy, Oy Hartwall Ab, Olvi Oyj, Red Bull Finland Oy, Saimaan Juomatehdas, and Oy Sinebrychoff Ab. The Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry is a member of the Finnish Food and Drink Industries Federation.
