Holger Eichele, Chairman of the German Brewers’ Association, has raised alarms regarding several proposed political initiatives amidst the challenging economic climate faced by breweries. He strongly criticized the planned special tax on beverages, labeling it “pure poison for the economy.” Eichele noted that the German brewing industry is currently undergoing a profound consolidation process, with the average brewery being forced to close each week, often deeply rooted family businesses with centuries of history.
Eichele attributes this decline to several factors: decreasing beer consumption, coupled with steep costs for energy, raw materials, packaging, and logistics. He added that weak consumer confidence and the crisis in the hospitality sector are further exacerbating the situation. To counter these pressures, he urged politicians to provide competitive energy prices, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, ensure reliable regulatory frameworks, and bolster consumer demand.
Specifically addressing the sugar tax on beverages, planned by the CDU and SPD, Eichele argues that it targets breweries precisely where they are succeeding in establishing new business areas. Many companies have successfully built up a secondary pillar of business through non-alcoholic beers and soft drinks. A new tax on these products, he contends, unnecessarily increases costs, places a heavy burden on small and medium-sized enterprises, and creates a massive wave of new bureaucracy. He asserted that the association rejects the tax concept outright, stating it is excessive and simply makes everything more expensive without making anyone healthier.
While acknowledging that non-alcoholic beer is “a true bright spot and one of the most important growth markets in the industry,” Eichele cautioned that non-alcoholic beer alone cannot fully compensate for the structural transformation occurring in the traditional beer market.
