Beer sales in the EU increased slightly in 2022; however, they still lag behind pre-pandemic levels, according to data.
According to research conducted by The Brewers of Europe, beer sales in the bloc reached 313.3 million hectoliters in 2022, marking an increase from 300.6 million hectoliters in 2021 and 297.5 million hectoliters in 2020.
Despite the upward trajectory, beer consumption has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels; in 2019, the EU saw sales of 322.8 million hectoliters of beer.
Reflecting this pattern, beer production in the EU reached 358.2 million hectoliters in 2022, an increase from 343.6 million hectoliters in 2021 but still below the 2019 figure of 363.9 million hectoliters. Germany holds the position of the largest beer producer in the EU, with 87.8 million hectoliters brewed in 2022, followed by Spain with 41.1 million hectoliters.
“The last few years have seen new challenges coming thick and fast but the beer market is on the road to recovery since the Covid pandemic in 2020 forced bars, cafés and restaurants to close, with lockdowns keeping people from enjoying a beer with friends, family and new acquaintances,” Simon Spillane, head of operations at The Brewers of Europe, said.
“If 2020 brought an abrupt end to the gradual growth in production and consumption for European brewers, the recovery has been more steady and we can see in 2022 that the market was not yet back to its pre-Covid health.”
Spillane mentioned that the on-premise sector experienced the most significant impact from macroenvironmental pressures last year.
“While each country has its traditions, the balance between the on-trade of immediate consumption and the off-trade of retail stores has shifted towards the latter,” he said.
