Beer consumption in the Czech Republic, the world’s largest per capita consumer of the drink, was badly hit by the coronavirus last year, the country’s brewer said Tuesday.
The amount consumed on average by each person in the country annually was reduced by 7 liters (14.8 pints) to 135 liters (285 pints), according to the Czech Brewers’ Association.
According to the union, this is the lowest figure since the 1960s.
Union chief Frantisek Samal said up to 500 pubs were forced to close permanently, with hundreds more expected to follow this year.
“I don’t remember pubs and restaurants in such a crisis,” said Samal.
Bars and restaurants were closed for months after the pandemic hit the country in March last year, while the ban on drinking alcohol in public and the cancellation of sports, cultural and other events also contributed to the decline.
Total beer production in the country fell 6.9% to 20.1 billion liters (531 million gallons). Beer exports fell by 38 million liters to about 500 million liters, the first drop after nine years of growth.
The Czech Republic is one of the European countries most affected by the pandemic. The country of 10.7 million has recorded more than 1.6 million COVID-19 cases and 28,640 deaths.