The Danish brewer, Bryggerigruppen, has reported a pre-tax profit of DKr36.7m (US$5.35m) for the first half of the year, down by 49% from DKr72.5m in the first half of last year.

The company, which markets Heineken in Denmark, said that it had taken an exceptional charge of DKr40m, related to writedowns and the imminent closure of its brewery in west Denmark, in the first half.

Sales fell from DKr1.38 billion to DKr1.28 billion while total beverage volumes fell by 12% to 2.0m hectolitres.

The brewer confirmed its pre-tax profit target for the full year of between DKr210m to DKr235m.