German beer market faces downturn as declining sales in 2023 signal prolonged economic shift

By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Feb 1, 2024, 7:10 PM IST

Beer consumption, despite popular assumptions, has suffered as indicated by the latest data on beer sales from Germany. Economic factors and health concerns have led to a significant decline in beer sales inside and outside Germany.

German society is increasingly prioritising health over toxins as suggested by recent economic data. The beer market of Germany is considered the top and the quality is considered above any other in the world. However, a downfall of beer sales in the largest European economy has sent shockwaves to the alcohol market.

The Federal Statistical Office of Germany released the economic data of the beer industry suggesting a 4.5 percent decline in sales since last year. Germany-based alcohol companies and breweries managed to sell 8.4 billion liters (2.2 billion gallons) of beer last year.

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Exports were the most hit as the division saw a 5.9 percent decline. Many German-based breweries are export-oriented due to the name and quality of German beer. Most of the profit earned by these companies comes from their exports to other countries. The trend is not new but it saw a positive outlining in 2022 as sales grew by 2.7 percent beating market expectations.

Beer consumption, despite popular assumptions, has gone down. According to the Federal Statistical Office data, the dip in the 2023 sales showcased an 11.3% lower than in 2013 and 25.3% lower than in 1993. Beer companies in Germany have been unable to tap into new markets while also failing to hold onto their old markets.

Moreover, the world has increasingly become aware of the impact of alcohol on health. The toxic drink has severe negative long-term effects and society has moved away from it. The younger generation is more aware because of the readily available information due to technological advancement. While the economic print of the globalized world has also contributed to the downtrend of beer sales.

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