Beer market in the crisis: exports and sales declined sharply!

Beer market in the crisis: exports and sales declined sharply!

The German beer industry faces considerable challenges. In view of the falling sales figures and a demanding global market, many breweries, especially small and medium -sized, are fighting for their existence. On April 23, 2025, the official day of beer will be celebrated in Germany, but the mood in the industry is tense. The beer heel reached a historical low in 2024, which has been considered a year since the beginning of the statistical surveys, despite the high interest in the domestic EM.

In 2024, the beer exports from Germany fell by 6% compared to 2014, which means that around 1.45 billion liters were exported, compared to 1.54 billion liters in 2014. Almost 56% of exports went to EU member states. The sales figures show a questionable trend: the decline in beer demand was even 15.1% in the same period and continued in 2025 with a sales minus in January of 3.3%. This minus worsened in February 2025, when sales decreased by 10.8% compared to the previous year.

insights into the market development

The data indicate that the market for non -alcoholic beer is booming. Around 700 million liters of non -alcoholic beer were produced in 2024 alone, an increase of over 100% compared to 20 years ago. The proportion of non -alcoholic beers on the overall range in retail is now around 9%. This development is supported by the innovative strength of the breweries and improved brewing techniques, which could lead to growth in this segment.

With regard to consumer habits, a clear trend can be observed: The market for beer mixed drinks experienced an increase of 25.1% in February and reached 261,000 hectoliters. Nevertheless, the general situation remains tense, since small breweries in particular suffer from the high energy prices and changed drinking habits. The number of breweries in Germany has declined in recent years. In 2024, 1,459 breweries were counted, which has been an increase of 7.4% since 2014, but also shows a decrease of 3.4% compared to the previous year.

market structure and challenges

Economic development has a direct impact on beer demand. Home sales in the beer market will be estimated at 10.4 billion euros for 2025, while sales in the out-of-house area should be 14.7 billion euros. This shows that the market is still in a dynamic change, with larger breweries buying smaller ones and concentrating on sustainability and environmental friendliness.

In summary, it can be said that the German beer economy is characterized by numerous challenges. It remains to be seen how the developments in consumer behavior and the innovative strength of the breweries will affect the industry in the coming years. The "Day of German Beer" on April 23 will offer an opportunity to celebrate this traditional drink, but the view of the current market conditions is sobering.

For more information and statistics about the German beer market, you can report the reports of , Infranken.de and consultation.