England World Cup fans face Russia beer shortage as boozy supporters drink parts of Moscow dry
ENGLAND football fans could face a serious crisis in Russia – a beer shortage.
Supplies in the Russian capital are running low due to fans drinking so much with some bars and restaurants in some parts of Moscow completely dry.
To make matters worse, the length of time waiting for fresh supplies to be delivered is rising as World Cup fans enjoy the football and the sunny weather in Russia.
An anonymous waiter who asked to remain anonymous for fear of scaring off future customers, at an upscale eatery in central Moscow, said: “We just didn’t think they would only want beer.
“There are really a lot of people in Moscow … and they are all drinking.
“It’s hot and it’s football.”
The waiter said his restaurant ran out of draft lager on Monday and deliveries are taking longer than usual — at least 24 hours — because suppliers’ stocks are also running low.
Beer sales in Russia have fallen by around a third over the past decade as duties have risen and rules been tightened on sales and advertising.
Brewers had not been expecting a major reversal of the trend this year.
Baltika, the Russian unit of Carlsberg, said that although there was an increased risk of supply disruption during the World Cup, its business had not been affected.
Heineken said sales were going well so far, and it did not yet see any challenges in supplying its beer.
Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s biggest brewer and an official FIFA sponsor for the World Cup, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Dmitry, a bartender at a trendy courtyard bar, Gogol, said visiting soccer fans had drunk 800 litres (more than 211 gallons) of beer in three days, downing the cheap lager before moving on to more expensive bottled beers.
Gogol received three deliveries on Tuesday to replenish supplies, he said, as workers busily unpacked boxes of beer, vodka and whiskey from a nearby van.
“The sun makes them thirsty,” he said of his customers.
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“In Russian we say, ‘To the bottom!’ I like that these guys are embracing our culture.”
Ivan, a Croatian fan in Russia to see his team take on Argentina on Thursday, said he had yet to encounter any shortages.
“There is beer everywhere,” he said, swigging from a can of Russian Zhiguli lager while sitting on a bench near the Bolshoi Theatre.
“Some places yes, some places no. You just have to know where to find it!”
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