Economic slowdown, cool summer shrink brew sales

Beer consumption in China saw the largest decline in five years last year, with domestic brands still dominating the market, according to industry experts and media reports.

Beer sales volume in China in 2015 dropped 5 percent to almost 48 billion liters compared with a year earlier. Sales in 2014 declined 1 percent year-on-year, said Joy Huang, research manager of Euromonitor International.

"A cool summer and the slowdown of the economy, plus consumers' increasing health awareness have been major factors behind the drop," Huang said. "There was less dining out and stricter control on drunk driving."