Beer shortage in Mexico: Factories will halt beer and spirits production amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a health emergency in the country, several non-essential businesses have closed to protect its workers and prevent the spread of coronavirus .

One of these non-essential businesses are beer factories. According to Enoch Castellanos , the head of the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry ( Canacintra ), beer factories will halt the production of beer and liquor for a month , at least.

In an interview with EL UNIVERSAL, Castellanos explained that “the beer production was halted because it is not an essential product; nevertheless, some Governors or mayor from Nuevo León , Quintana Roo , and Baja California made the decision not only to close the plants but also not to sell alcoholic beverages and that sparked panic buying.”

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Nevertheless, the business leader explained that beer and spirits on the shelves are enough to cover the demand for a month but there are some places where the sale will be restricted.

Moreover, he considers that the decision to ban the sale of alcohol has no scientific foundations and that there are only a few officials who decided it wasn’t convenient for people to drink during the quarantine .

Meanwhile, in Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum has said she won’t ban alcohol during the quarantine period.

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