Beer prices to rise in Germany after fines

Beer prices in Germany will rise slightly following a €100 million fine levied on the country’s biggest brewers due to price fixing.

According to the English language publication The Local, German drink retailers, Sepp Gail has predicted a rise in beer prices in the wake of the fine.

Last week the Federal Cartel Office fined five breweries including Bitburger, Krombacher and Veltins, €106.5m for fixing the price of draught beer in 2006 and bottled beer in 2008.

The price of 20 bottled beers rose by €1 as a result and the price of 100 litres went up between €5 and €7.

Six other brewers are also under investigation and could face a similar penalty.

Gail told Der Spiegel that the impact on the brewers’ profits would mean prices were likely to rise