Rising gas prices may be bad for consumers’ wallets, but increased costs and their impact on shopping habits may actually be good for the beer industry, according to National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) chief economist and VP of analytics Lester Jones.
Wholesalers’ beer ordering entered expansion territory in November after four months of contraction, indicating “a more neutral stance for the industry,” according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) latest Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI). The BPI’s November reading for total beer was 51, a three-point month-over-month (MoM) increase from October’s reading of 48. A reading greater than 50 indicates expansion, while less than 50 indicates contraction.
October’s Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) reading of 48 “shows a steady state for the industry,” National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) chief economist Lester Jones wrote in the trade group’s monthly report.
