Germany’s beer consumption has experienced a significant decline in the first half of 2025, marking the lowest level recorded since data collection began in 1993. According to figures released Friday by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the total beer volume sold decreased by 6.3 percent, equivalent to 262 million liters, reaching approximately 3.9 billion liters.
This represents a noticeable drop compared to the same period in 2024, surpassing previous substantial declines observed only during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 and during the second half of 2023. The figures do not include non-alcoholic beers, malt beverages, or beer imported from countries outside the European Union.
Approximately 81.9 percent of the total beer volume, or 3.2 billion liters, was intended for domestic consumption and subject to taxation, a decrease of 6.1 percent year-on-year. The remaining 18.1 percent, amounting to 711.2 million liters, was distributed as exports or as “employee beer” (a benefit offered to brewery employees), representing a 7.1 percent reduction compared to the first half of 2024. Of this, 406.9 million liters went to EU member states, 299.6 million liters to non-EU countries and 4.7 million liters were distributed to employees.
In contrast to the overall downward trend, mixed beer beverages-beer combined with lemonade, cola, fruit juices and other non-alcoholic additives-saw an increase of 8.0 percent compared to the first half of 2024. However, these beverages only accounted for 5.6 percent of the total beer volume, reaching 220.8 million liters.
