Uruguayans continue to drink rather beer than wine. According to local press reports, beer consumption surpassed consumption of wine for the second consecutive year. Last year 90 million liters of beer were sold in Uruguay, up from 87 million in 2009. An increase, even if the country’s population is quite mature as a result of the low birth rate, high life expectancy, and relatively high rate of emigration of younger people. Annual beer consumption in the country now amounts to almost 30 liters per capita, a TV channel reported. Conversely, only 75 million liters of wine were sold, down from 77 million in 2009. The most popular beer in Uruguay, continues to be Pilsen.
Since 2003, when due to a crisis in Uruguay’s economy, beer market volumes in the country declined by 10% to 50 million litres, improvements in the economy have resulted in a significant increase in market volumes through 2008. The beer market is dominated by Companhia de Bebidas das Americas (AmBev).
Uruguay is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area. An estimated 88% of the population are of European descent. Uruguay is one of the most economically developed countries in South America, with a high GDP per capita and the 52nd highest quality of life in the world as of 2010, and first highest quality of life/human development in Latin America, when inequality is factored in. Reader’s Digest ranked Uruguay as ninth “Most livable and greenest” country in the world, and first in all the Americas.