South Africa: Beverages
Beer and soft drink volumes held up well despite a softening consumer environment.
In South Africa, group revenue on a constant currency basis grew by 5%, driven by beer pricing and higher premium lager sales. Lager volumes were level with the prior year against a backdrop of softer consumer spending and the absence of an Easter peak period. In the face of strong competition, our portfolio performed well, with Castle Lite continuing to grow particularly strongly and Castle Lager also posting a good performance. We continued to improve our customer servicing and targeted brand investment. Soft drinks volumes rose 2%, driven by the continued success of the two litre PET pack and strong growth in still drinks, supported by increased market penetration.
