Carlsberg UK is blaming a drop in on-trade sales for a 17.2% drop in turnover for the year ending December 31, 2017.
Pre-tax losses were down to £8,927,000 compared to £10,756,000 in the previous year.
In a report filed at Companie House, the company said the standard lager market shrank by 5.9% in the year. Although only accounting for a small percentage of overall volume, Carlsberg’s craft operation is returning high levels of growth, achieving a 24% year-on-year increase.
A major review of the Carlsberg brand is under way, the first element of this being the relaunch of Carlsberg Export in 2017. The company says this delivered some encouraging initial results.
Also in 2017, the company purchased London Fields Brewery. Carlsberg says: “This is a strong addition to the portfolio which, after an initial period of investment, is hoped will increase the market share within the craft segment.”
