The drinks industry has reported above-average sales in the past month thanks to local enthusiasm for the just-concluded football World Cup.

Zhong Yang, secretary of Guangzhou Spirits Industry Association, told China Daily that sales of spirits reached 1.5 billion yuan (US$185 million) during the World Cup period, a surge of over 30 per cent on the average month.

A customer walks past Tsingtao beer cans at a supermarket in Nanjing, the drinks industry has reported above-average sales in the past month thanks to local enthusiasm for the just-concluded football World Cup. [Reuters]

"Foreign brands were the big sellers this month," Zhong added.

Bar owners expressed their satisfaction with World Cup-driven sales.

"Sales of spirits and beer at our bar more than doubled during the World Cup period," said Lu Zhonghua, owner of 1996 Bar in Guangzhou's Tianhe District.

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