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German beer sales sink to 25-year low

German beer sales have sunk to their lowest level since reunification almost 25 years ago, as drinkers increasingly turn to mixed drinks and non-alcoholic beers.

German beer sales sink to 25-year low
Sales of German beer fell for the seventh straight year. Photo: DPA

In 2013 German brewers sold 9.46 billion litres of beer, the Federal Statistics Office, Destatis, said on Thursday.

That represented a fall of two percent on 2012 and was the seventh straight year that German beer sales have fallen.

“The sustained decline since 2007 continued further,” Destatis said in a statement.

Germans drunk 7.97 billion litres of the 9.46 billion litres produced, a decline of 1.7 percent.

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Brewers blamed the mixed weather of 2013 and the ageing population for the fall.

Last summer the country’s brewers saw a slight boost in beer sales, but the overall picture is bleak. 

However, one area where sales have increased is less alcoholic beers. 

Beer mixed with soft drinks and alcohol-free beers are growing in popularity, Destatis said, representing 4.5 percent of beer sales in 2013 compared to 1.9 percent the year before.

READ MORE: Price fixing brewers swallow €106-million fine

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