Beer consumption in Germany hits an all-time low

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2025. 02. 05. 09:01

In 2024, German beer producers sold just 8.3 billion litres of beer, the lowest volume since reunification, according to the German Statistical Office.

Total sales were down 1.4% on the previous year, while domestic sales fell by 2%. In contrast, exports rose by 1.6% and exports to the European Union increased by 3.1% – Lebensmittelpraxis reported.

The biggest drop occurred in June 2024, when sales fell by 13.5%. German Beer Makers’ Association attributes this to the unfavourable rainy weather, which significantly reduced the number of visitors to outdoor pubs and restaurants.

The decline in beer consumption in the country has been a long-term trend: since 2014, the rate of decline has reached 13.7%, which means around 1.3 billion litres less beer sold. The negative development is attributed to the decline in alcohol consumption in the context of a healthy lifestyle and the ageing of society. However, the figures do not include sales of non-alcoholic beers which show a steady increase.

Beer mixes with lemonade, cola or juices also follow a negative tendency with sales falling by 4.6% in 2024 to 384.8 million litres, accounting for 4.7% of total beer consumption.