No growth expected on alcoholic beverage market in Poland in 2010

2010-02-03



In 2010, there will be a reduction of around PLN 1.6bn (€390.5m) in spending on alcoholic beverages in Poland, to PLN 39.6bn (€9.6bn), according to a recent report from the Euromonitor. The breweries will suffer most, as demand for beer is expected to fall by 5% year on year to around PLN 20bn (€4.9bn). Sales of strong spirits (vodka accounts for 90% of such sales in Poland) are expected to decline by 3.3% to PLN 16.4bn (€4bn). There will be a 2.6% reduction in the wine market to PLN 3bn (€732.3m). The report suggests that demand for strong spirits will grow again in 2011, to PLN 16.8bn (€4.1bn). In turn, consumption of beer is not expected to increase until 2012.
At the same time, industry representatives expect demand for alcoholic beverages to increase in 2010. According to Leszek Wiwala, of the Polish Spirits Industry (PPS) association, quoted in the newspaper, in 2010 sales of strong spirits will remain at the same level as that of 2009 (when there was a reduction of around 10%), providing that the state does not introduce another increase in excise duty and the crisis does not deepen. In addition, Witold Franczak, of the wine distributor Domain Menada, expects to see an increase in wine sales in 2010 in comparison with 2009, when demand declined by 5% in terms of volume.