Beer is essential for enduring the long weeks cooped up at home to avoid the spread of Covid-19, claims the National Alliance of Small Businessowners (Anpec), which insists it be declared as such.

Major beer manufacturers halted production after the beverage failed to make the federal government’s list of essential products during the Covid-19 emergency declaration period and many states and municipalities across the country have enacted dry laws to prohibit sales.

“The isolation at home is causing states of anxiety, desperation, [and] fear that could eventually lead to episodes of irritability and intolerance, friction and disagreements between family members,” said Anpec in a statement.

“Spending all day together for over a month will have consequences and in this environment the consumption of beer at home works like a relaxant, a drink for use in moderation that contributes to enduring the strictest terms of this difficult test.”

The small businesses that Anpec represents depend on beer sales for as much as 40% of their monthly revenues and cutting them off from that income will generate significant losses for the owners, the alliance said.

It warned that beer’s status as a nonessential product could push thousands of small businesses to the brink of collapse and cause employers to lay off employees by the thousands.

“We mustn’t forget that this value chain generates over 500,000 jobs, from the field to the small business. The shortage will also cause price hikes due to speculation, affecting the already weakened economy. All of this increases the losses from the preventative measures,” Anpec said.

It pleaded with the federal government to allow beer sales to resume to avoid further negative effects.

“Just as cement and steel were recently declared essential products, [which] reactivated their production, it is necessary to do the same with the beer industry so that it can return to production.”

Source: El Universal (sp)