BREWERS Whitbread believe the rest of 1999 will be a time to toast bumper sales.

With the rugby and cricket World Cups taking place in the UK followed by the millennium, the firm believes sales of 'take home' products will rocket.

The firm, which employs 550 at its Salmesbury brewery and brews brands including Stella Artois, Heineken, Boddingtons and Murphys, has carried out research for the millennium which has revealed many consumers are planning to spend four times what they usually do on beer for the New Year celebrations.

John Ricketts, Director of Take Home Sales, said: "New Year celebrations are always a good time for beer companies, however the millennium looks as if it will bring even bigger opportunities than ever before.

"Opportunities within the Take Home sector look particularly promising as consumer demand is expected to be four times greater than in previous years." The Whitbread Beer Company interviewed more than 1,600 people nationwide for the report.

It also found that beer is the most popular choice for millennium celebrations with more than 60 per cent citing beer as their preferred millennium tipple, while only 15 per cent are planning to celebrate the new century with the traditional champagne.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.