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Why beer could soon cost even more in Denmark

Denmark is not exactly known for having low prices for alcoholic beverages, but beer could soon be even costlier in the Nordic nation.

a can of carlsberg
The humble can of Carlsberg (and all other beer) is expected to see an increase in price in Denmark in 2022. File photo: Henning Bagger/Ritzau Scanpix

Two of the world’s largest breweries have warned that higher production costs, which could be passed on to customers in 2022.

Both Heineken and Denmark’s own Carlsberg have suggested higher prices are on the horizon.

Carlsberg’s CEO Cees ‘t Hart recently told Danish newspaper Børsen that the brewery is currently in negotiations with customers, which would see Carlsberg receive higher payments for supplying its beer products.

Heineken signalled price increases on Wednesday, when the Dutch company published its annual results. Higher production costs would mean the price of beer will increase, Heineken said.

Statements from the two companies mean customers should prepare for more expensive beer in the near future, according to an analyst.

“We have already seen that things have already got more expensive in areas like dairy, which have also been hit by high raw material costs,” said Per Fogh, stockmarket analyst with Sydbank.

“We can also see that breweries have been hit by these high raw material costs. You can therefore expect beer to get more expensive in 2022,” he said.

Heineken said that it expects production costs to go up by around 15 percent, although this does not necessarily mean the price of a glass of beer will go up by 15 percent.

“They also have other levers they can pull so as to affect some of these production cost increases,” Fogh said.

“I would expect it to be under 10 percent,” he said in relation to how much beer prices could go up.

Carlsberg and Heineken are the third and second-largest breweries in the world respectively, with Belgium’s AB Inbev the largest.

READ ALSO: Danish beer giant Carlsberg announces increase in prices

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BUSINESS

Maersk profits plummet as Yemeni attacks close off Red Sea route

Danish shipping giant Maersk posted a huge drop in net profit for the first quarter on Thursday as Yemeni rebel attacks are forcing it to avoid the vital Red Sea route.

Maersk profits plummet as Yemeni attacks close off Red Sea route

Maersk reported a net profit of $177 million in the first three months of the year, a 13-fold drop from the same period last year. Turnover fell 13 percent to $12.4 billion, slightly lower than forecast by analysts surveyed by financial data firm FactSet.

The company, however, raised its outlook for the full year, citing higher demand and increased rates and costs due to the supply chain disruptions in the Red Sea.

It now expects an underlying core profit ranging between $4 billion and $6 billion, up from $1 billion-$6 billion previously.

“We had a positive start to the year with a first quarter developing precisely as we expected,” Maersk chief executive Vincent Clerc said in a statement.

“Demand is trending towards the higher end of our market growth guidance and conditions in the Red Sea remain entrenched,” he said.

“This not only supported a recovery in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter, but also provide an improved outlook for the coming quarters, as we now expect these conditions to stay with us for most of the year.”

Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and much of the country’s Red Sea coast, have launched dozens of attacks on ships since November, claiming solidarity with Palestinians caught up in the Israel-Hamas war.

The United States in December announced a maritime security initiative to protect Red Sea shipping from the attacks, which have forced commercial vessels to divert from the route that normally carries 12 percent of global trade.

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