The rising purchasing power of Shanghai consumers as well as a hotter summer boosted sales of alcoholic beverages in the city last year, according to the Business Information Center of Shanghai.

Beer sales gushed 15 percent in Shanghai in 2007 while those of yellow rice wine climbed 10 percent on year, the center said.

Domestic brands such as Great Wall, Dynasty and Chang Yu occupied 70 percent of the wine market in Shanghai. The market share of imported wine was higher than before at 30 percent. The center didn't give a comparative figure for last year.

"Major local brands dominated the liquor market in Shanghai last year, and we are expecting a 20-percent growth in medium-high liquor products in 2008," Yuan Lijun, the center's director, said at the Drinking Festival Conference.

The conference also said the 2008 Shanghai Drinking Festival will be held from September 28 to October 6 in Sichuan Rd N. Park in Hongkou District.

(Shanghai Daily May 14, 2008)