- Carlsberg has raised its full-year profit forecast following strong demand for soft drinks and non-alcoholic beers, offsetting declining beer sales.
- The Danish brewing giant now expects operating profit growth of between 4 per cent and 6 per cent, narrowing towards the upper end of its previous guidance range.
- Upgraded projections were bolstered by faster-than-anticipated synergies from its £3.3 billion takeover of Britvic alongside effective cost management.
- Total beer sales volumes dropped to 52.2 million hectolitres in the first half of 2026, with Western European beer volumes falling 3.9 per cent amid shifting drinking habits among younger people.
- Soft drinks sales volumes grew by 7.8 per cent while alcohol-free beer volumes surged by 11 per cent, supported by strong growth across Western Europe.
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