'Beer Country' Germany Has No Bottles... Aftermath of Ukraine War

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Germany, known as the "land of beer," is facing difficulties in obtaining glass bottles due to the impact of the Ukraine war, the New York Times (NYT) reported on the 9th (local time).

According to the report, the price of glass bottles produced recently in the Czech Republic, France, and Germany has reached 15 to 20 euro cents per bottle. In Germany, consumers pay 8 euro cents for the bottle deposit, so considering this, the price has roughly doubled. The German Brewers Association stated that the price of new glass bottles paid by breweries without long-term supply contracts has increased by more than 80%.

The sharp rise in glass bottle prices is due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. German breweries used to source glass bottles from across Europe, but the war caused major suppliers, such as Ukrainian glass factories, to halt operations, and sanctions have blocked supply chains from Russia and Belarus, resulting in significant damage.

Especially with the summer season approaching, when beer demand expands due to hot weather and festivals, the brewing industry is facing serious concerns. Stefan Frische, who operates a brewery in Neuzelle near the Polish border, described the situation as "unprecedented" and said it is "even more fatal for small-scale brewers."

As it becomes difficult to obtain new glass bottles, German breweries are appealing to consumers to return empty bottles from their homes. Holger Eikele, chairman of the Brewers Association, recently appeared on a broadcast urging people to return empty bottles. He said, "I do not think there is a risk of reducing beer production," but added that the industry is finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the supply chain.

Within the German brewing industry, there are proposals to increase the deposit paid to consumers when they buy and return glass bottles, but the NYT reported that this is realistically difficult amid rapidly rising inflation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.