The Germany's beer maker Holsten has registered a 11.4% fall in beer sales in the first five months of this year, versus the same period last year, said the company in a statement. Holsten's canned beer sales fell by 70%, while sales of beer in returnable bottles rose by 43%.

1,300 beer producers of Germany sold a total 40.7 million hectolitres, a 7.1% year-on-year decrease, the greatest decline since World War II. The decrease is primarily attributed to the introduction of a controversial environmental law requiring a system of deposits on cans and plastic bottles, which began at the beginning of the year.

03 July, 2003