Russians will soon consume as much beer as Americans and British

Beer consumption in Russia will rise steadily according to Jan Vesely, president of the European Brewery Convention and chairman of the Czech Brewers' Union. He made this statement on January 27 during an internet-conference with the Russian Brewers' Union.

Mr Vesely predicted that 'beer consumption will soon rise to 80 litres per head per year' (the same level in the US and Great Britain). If 150 million people each drink an average of 80 litres a year then the total beer consumption will be 12 billion litres a year. In the Czech Republic total beer consumption is about 16 billion litres a year, Mr Vesely pointed out.

Russian experts have estimated that beer consumption will rise by 40% to 60 litres per head per year by 2010. In 2001 this figure stood at 43 litres per head whereas in 1985 it came to just 22 litres.