The German beverage industry reported shifts in production last year, favoring low-calorie and light drinks as well as mineral water over sugary beverages.
According to statistics from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 7.42 billion liters of sugary cola, sodas, and other refreshment drinks were produced in 2025. This represents a 4.1% decrease from the previous year’s total of nearly 7.74 billion liters. On a per-person basis, consumption in 2025 was around 89 liters, down from close to 93 liters in 2024.
In contrast, the production of calorie-reduced light refreshments continued to increase. In 2025, 1.61 billion liters of light cola and sodas were manufactured, marking a 5.1% increase over the 1.53 billion liters produced in 2024. Per capita, this translated to a slight rise, reaching about 19 liters in 2025 compared to just over 18 liters in 2024; however, the overall volume of sugary drinks still significantly overshadows that of light products.
Mineral, table, and medicinal water dominates the market. In 2025, nearly 13.07 billion liters of this water were produced domestically-a 2.7% rise from the 12.72 billion liters produced in 2024. The per capita production for water stood at nearly 157 liters in 2025, up marginally from 152 liters in 2024.
The high consumption of sugar is linked to significant public health concerns, such as obesity, Type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2024, approximately one quarter (24.5%) of adults and 9.6% of children and youth (ages 5 to 19) in Germany suffered from obesity. Globally, the figures were 16.4% for adults and 8.2% for children and youth. Globally, the rate of obesity among adults has more than doubled since 1994, and among children and youth, it has more than tripled.
Looking at being overweight specifically, the WHO notes that the proportion of overweight adults in Germany has remained largely constant since 2006, standing at 60.6% in 2024. This figure rose from 54.0% thirty years earlier in 1994. For children and youth, 25.1% were classified as overweight in 2024, placing Germany above the global average of 45.2% for adults and 19.8% for youth.
To curb excessive sugar intake, 116 countries implemented taxes on sugary drinks in 2024, according to the WHO. Examples of nations utilizing such a levy include France, Poland, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, India, and South Africa.
