Report
Czechs’ non-alcoholic beer consumption on the rise
Non-alcoholic beer is increasingly popular in the Czech Republic. As confirmed by the recently announced results from the Czech Beer and Malt Association, last year, the amount of non-alcoholic beer produced (including exports) increased 16% year-on-year to 597,000 hectolitres.
The domestic market saw a 14% increase of non-alcoholic beer sales, which approached the 500,000hl mark. Most popular is still Radegast Birell by Plzeňský Prazdroj, a SABMiller company, which accounts for two out of three non-alcoholic beers sold in the Czech Republic, the company revealed in a statement.
According to a survey by market research company TNS AISA, Radegast Birell has shown to be the best-known non-alcoholic beer brand, with 70% of responders claiming to know the brand. In the non-alcoholic beer consumers group (males ages 25–50), 99% of responders recognised the brand.
“Non-alcoholic beer gradually gained a stable position on the Czech beer market,” said Radegast Birell brand manager, Vladimír Vaněk. “Besides drivers and cyclists, it gets increasingly popular with people at work, in restaurants, at home or in the garden. Substantial increase in non-alcoholic beer consumption is related mostly to the change in lifestyle and drivers’ responsibility.”
About half of the respondents treat themselves to a non-alcoholic beer at least once a week. The survey also revealed that consumers’ favourite season to enjoy the beverage is summer, and that people drink it most often with meals, during work, driving a car or on a bike.
Radegast Birell is also largely successful in quality competitions. During the last four years, it scored in the second largest international competition, the Australian International Beer Awards. Last year, it was also successful in the Zlatý pohár Pivex 2008 competition and was a clear winner of the World Beer Cup 2008.
Source: SABMiller plc
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