Beer sales in Germany fell by 4. 5% last year following a long-standing downward trend, official figures showed on Thursday.
German-based breweries and distributors sold about 8.4 billion liters (2.2 billion gallons) of beer last year, the Federal Statistical Office said. That figure doesn’t include non-alcoholic beer and beer imported from outside the European Union.
In 2022, beer sales increased by 2. 7% thanks to a recovery in demand in the country and the EU following the end of COVID-19 restrictions, but demand in both markets declined further in 2023.
Sales in Germany (more than four-fifths of the total) fell 4. 2% to 6. 9 billion liters (1. 8 billion gallons).
Exports fell by 5. 9% in total. There was a modest 2. 6% drop in sales to the other EU27 countries, which bought 784 million liters (207 million gallons) of German beer, while sales to other countries fell 9. 6% to 646. 7 million liters (170. 8 million gallons).
German brewers are facing a long-term downward trend, brought on by fitness issues and other factors. According to the statistics office, last year’s sales were 11. 3% lower than in 2013 and 25. 3% lower than in 1993.