The prices of energy and raw materials up to the small crown corks are rising massively.
The breweries in Bavaria are in dire straits - and beer is becoming more expensive again.
Munich - The economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis are slowly becoming more and more noticeable. Fuel, bratwurst, bread rolls - everything is currently much more expensive and now Bavarian beer is also affected. The Bavarian Brewers' Association warns of this. The main driver of the price increase is the rapidly increasing oil price, which is currently reaching a multi-year high after the Corona slump last year. The result: fuel and energy costs rise and thus also drive up the companies' transport and production costs.
"Everything that can get more expensive will be more expensive, energy, raw materials, transport, personnel," said the general manager of the brewers' association Lothar Ebbertz of the
German press agency
.
In addition to the energy costs, the prices for brewing barley in particular have gone through the roof in the past few weeks, added Ebbertz.
Numerous companies - not only the breweries in Bavaria - would be driven into great hardship and would have no choice but to pass the massive costs on to the beer and thus to the customer.
"Five past twelve": Breweries have to raise the price of beer because of rising costs
The Association of Private Breweries in Bavaria, the Bavarian Millers Association and the state guilds of butchers, bakers and confectioners had therefore already desperately turned to Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) in mid-October.
In a “fire letter”, the five associations urgently demanded government measures to defuse the constant inflation, otherwise numerous other companies would perish in the coming months as a result of the consequences of the Corona crisis.
"It is no longer five to twelve, but five past twelve," said the managing directors of the associations.
As a solution, they proposed, among other things, a temporary waiver by the state of the levies and taxes that make energy more expensive.
By the way: Our Bavaria newsletter informs you about all the important stories from the Free State. Sign up here.
Because even supposedly small items on the bills are slowly but surely pushing the breweries to their limits.
Because numerous items that beer brewers rely on are also becoming more expensive: "That also applies to little things like crown corks," said Ebbertz from the Bavarian Brewers' Association.
In the next year there will also be a wage increase for employees, followed by a new collective bargaining round.
Beer in Bavaria is getting expensive: costs are rising, income is missing due to Corona
The breweries have already been hit hard by the corona pandemic.
The rising costs are offset by massive slumps in sales and income.
Last year, the breweries lost almost all of their income due to the closings of restaurants and the massive restrictions on public life.
This year the beer gardens were reopened and private parties were allowed, but many events and festivals were canceled.
From the Munich Oktoberfest to smaller club celebrations - there is still a lack of numerous sales markets.
Whether, when and by how much the individual breweries will increase the prices for the beer is up to the companies themselves to decide - according to the Managing Director, the Brewers' Association has no overview.
(iwe / dpa)