Lager sales dropped sharply in Europe thanks to the poor economic background in the region Brewing giant SAB Miller said lager sales fell by 5% in Europe in the six months to September.
The company, whose brands include Miller Lite, Peroni and Grolsch, highlighted Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania as seeing particularly poor sales.
Weak economies in the region and changes in taxes on alcohol contributed to the slide.
But the weak performance in Europe was offset by strong growth elsewhere.
Lager sales in Africa as a whole increased by 11%, with the best-performing countries including Uganda, where sales rose by 23% thanks to extra brewery capacity, and Zambia, up by 15% because of a cut in excise duty.
In South Africa, lager sales grew by 3%.
Overall, lager sales at SAB Miller rose by 1% overall.
The group added that its soft drinks sales were up 2% in the period.
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