Spirits To Lead Alcoholic Drinks Industry Recovery In 2010

Prior to the financial crisis, Romania's alcoholic drinks industry was following the same course as the wider economy, with its growth strengthening the industry considerably on the back of sharp disposable income gains as investment poured in across the beer, spirits and wine segments. Consolidated alcoholic drinks value sales growth averaged 8.2% between 2005 and 2008. Unsurprisingly, 2009 has been infinitely more challenging for the industry. A forecast 1.3% retrenchment in wider industry value sales in 2009 underlines the toll the slowdown (BMI expects Romania's GDP to contract by 5.7% in 2009) is having on non-essential consumer spending.

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