Germany beer bottle shortage: Industry warns of 'tense' situation

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There could be a shortage of beer bottles this summer due to rising production costs and a shortage of truck drivers.

The situation is extremely tense, according to the chief executive of the German Brewers Federation.

An industry expert said that the shortage of glass bottles will affect small- and medium-sized breweries.

Brewers are having to pay 80% more for new bottles than they did a year ago. The cost of beer is going up.

The price of glass bottle production is going up because of a hike in energy prices, according to a glass industry spokesman.

The German Brewers Federation said a lack of lorry drivers was making it harder to maintain supply chains.

He said the cost of new glass bottles had nearly doubled in the last year.

The cost of German beer could rise by up to 30% due to the increase in energy prices.

Smaller breweries are likely to be hardest hit by the shortage of bottles.

The best thing Germans could do was to return glass bottles to retailers as quickly as possible, Mr. Eichele said.

Beer drinkers are expected to bring glass bottles back to the shop when they get their next round, because glass bottles are usually sold with a small deposit.

Cans, used elsewhere in the world, are far less common and many breweries use bottles that are difficult to replace.