Greek beer consumption rises steadily, while low/no-alcohol options grow across Europe amid market consolidation and competition.
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In Greece, beer consumption has shown a steady annual increase from 305.1 million liters in 2020 to 420.7 million liters in 2024, surpassing the 400 million liter mark for the first time, with per capita consumption rising from 28 to 41 liters over the same period. Despite this growth, Greece ranks third in Europe for per capita beer consumption, behind Italy and France. Germany leads in absolute production and consumption but ranks third in per capita consumption. Czechia is the top consumer per capita, followed by Austria. A significant trend is the growing consumption of low or non-alcoholic beer, which is increasing at an estimated 20% annually, compared to single-digit growth for traditional beer sales. Low/no-alcohol beers account for 3.5% of total Greek beer sales, primarily sold through the HORECA sector. The Greek market is characterized by oligopoly, with about 90% of the market controlled by four companies. Furthermore, there are ongoing legal disputes regarding anti-competitive practices in the Greek brewing industry. Across Europe, Eurostat data shows a slight increase in traditional beer production but a notable rise in low/no-alcohol beer production. Germany leads European beer production, followed by Spain, Poland, Netherlands, and Belgium. In Spain, low/no-alcohol beer is expected to be a major segment of consumption, while Italy shows a steady positive trend for this category despite slight overall declines in production and consumption. Bulgaria also sees growing beer production and increasing interest in non-alcoholic options among consumers seeking healthier lifestyles.
