Beer consumption in Germany is falling: causes and effects

Beer consumption in Germany is falling: causes and effects

Germany, known for its poets, thinkers and beer drinkers, is seeing a declining trend in beer sales. According to the Federal Statistical Office, sales in 2023 fell by 4.5 percent or 394.2 million liters compared to the previous year. The reasons for this decline lie in the drastic cost increases for raw materials, packaging, transport and personnel, according to Nina Göllinger from the German Brewers' Association. These cost increases force breweries to raise prices, which in turn affects consumption.

Despite the declining trend, beer remains a popular German cultural asset, as Dr. Stefan Kreisz, CEO of Erdinger Weißbräu, emphasizes. However, consumer and leisure behavior has changed, especially among younger generations. In addition, many people who generally do not consume alcohol for religious reasons also do not drink beer.

The beer industry has responded to changing consumption by increasingly offering light and non-alcoholic beers. Despite demographic change and consumers' increased health awareness, beer remains a German cultural asset. Although per capita consumption is declining, Germany is still one of the top beer drinking nations.

Innkeepers in the catering industry are also observing declining beer consumption. Olaf Schenk, head of the lido in Berlin-Lübars, reports a decline in beer consumption of around 30 percent after prices were increased. Other restaurateurs such as Frank Wiegand from the “Bayerischer Bahnhof” in Leipzig are relying on consistency in beer prices, while Vito Liberti from the “Ristorante Armonia” in Frankfurt is keeping prices stable despite the decline in beer consumption. The owner of the “Bornheimer Dorfstadl” in Frankfurt, Valerie Seifert, is considering increasing beer prices due to the changing consumer behavior of guests who are reacting to financial bottlenecks.