Sales of non-alcoholic beer continue to rise in Germany

Germany | More and more consumers in Germany are enjoying a beer without alcohol. The production of non-alcoholic beers has more than doubled since 2007 to about 6.6 million hl in 2020.

Despite an overall decline in beer consumption, non-alcoholic beers continue to enjoy increasing demand. They currently have a market share of 7 percent, which is among the highest in Europe. There are now more than 700 different brands available nationwide.

Make mine a non-alcoholic beer

“Soon one in ten beers will be non-alcoholic,” said Holger Eichele, General Manager of the German Brewers Association in Berlin. Together with its members, the association has launched a campaign (www.unserbier.de) to raise consumers’ awareness.

The German Brewers Association, which is the umbrella organisation of the brewing industry, has observed how the image of non-alcoholic beers has changed over the years, as consumers are developing a taste for them. “The days are long gone when non-alcoholic beers were the default option for motorists,” Mr Eichele explained.

Good for consumers and brewers

A survey has shown that consumers particularly appreciate the pleasant taste, the low number of calories and the use of exclusively natural raw materials. And, of course, there is now greater variety. In addition to classic varieties such as Pils, wheat beer or Radler, more and more regional specialties such as Kölsch and Alt as well as newer styles like IPA, are offered as non-alcoholic variants.

Non-alcoholic beers are a nice business to have for brewers. Since they retail for about as much as a regular beer in Germany, but are exempt from excise, profits from these beers must be good.