Overview

• Total beer volume plunged 6.3% to 3.9 billion liters, the weakest half-year performance since 1993.
• Domestic consumption fell 6.1% while exports dropped 7.1%, with EU shipments down 5% and third-country sales plunging 9.9%.
• Non-alcoholic beers and beer-mix beverages bucked the trend with an 8% rise in the first half of 2025.
• The German Brewers Association attributes the decline to demographic changes and “massive consumer restraint” among drinkers.
• Brewers warn that escalating costs for materials, energy, labor and logistics, alongside uncertainties over the EU-US tariff agreement, could further strain the industry.