At present, no one can really predict the consequences of the pandemic but it seems clear that the year 2020 will be one of the toughest for the whole industry in the last decades. Experts predict a sharp decline in beer sales in the coming months which will harm especially those breweries which have specialized on sales in pubs, hotels, restaurants and catering (HoReCa).
In many countries, rigid government action has ended public life. Starting from China, these measures have spread across Asia and Europe and will soon reach Australia, America and Africa. In the beginning, only major events with over 10,000 participants were canceled to stop the virus from spreading freely. Sports and music events and international congresses and trade fairs were particularly affected. More recently, travel bans have been introduced in many countries and the closure of bars, restaurants and dance halls has been ordered.
Because major events, such as the European Football Championship or the Olympics, which normally show rising beer consumption, may be postponed or canceled this year, more trouble is looming for the industry.
