Originally Posted by
robcheshire
European airports are being extremely slow to appreciate that they should be stocking an interesting selection of local craft beers, which can attract unit prices similar to inexpensive spirits.
Well, beer consumption during the day is much more common in some European countries than elsewhere (think Poland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, ...)
Allowing beer sales in duty-free shops might cannibalize the sales of airside pubs and restaurants. It may not be slowness at all. It may be profit maximization by airports over all airside shops and restaurants simultaneously
Furthermore, many speciality/gift shops airside at European airports do stock some beer. It's often not chilled, it's expensive, and frequently in souvenir/gift-style packaging. And usually it's beers for which there's some sort of of brand recognition. I guess most small craft beers might be too tough a sell (they'd be very expensive, too, with the sort of markup at airside shops).