EU: Beer production slightly up in 2024, Eurostat says

In 2024, EU countries produced 32.7 billion (bn) litres of beer containing more than 0.5% alcohol and 2 bn litres of beer with less than 0.5% alcohol or with no alcohol content at all, totalling 34.7 bn litres, Eurostat reported on August 1.

Compared with 2023, the production of beer with more than 0.5% alcohol in the EU increased slightly by 0.6% (+0.2 bn litres), while the production of beer with less than 0.5% alcohol rose by 11.1% (+0.2 bn litres).

The list of top EU producers remains unchanged in 2024. Germany continued to lead as the top producer of beer with more than 0.5% alcohol, with 7.2 bn litres (22.2% of the total EU production), the same as in 2023. Germany was followed at a distance by Spain, with 4.0 bn litres (12.3% of the total EU production) and Poland with 3.4 bn litres (10.6%). The Netherlands, with 2.2 bn litres (6.8%) and Belgium, with 2.1 bn litres (6.3%), also featured in the top 5 producers.

Maintaining its record as the top exporter of beer, the Netherlands led among EU countries with a total (intra- and extra-EU) of 1.5 bn litres of beer containing alcohol exported in 2024. Compared with 2023, however, this country saw a decrease of 12% (-0.2 bn litres) in beer exports.

The Netherlands was followed by Germany and Belgium (both exporting 1.4 bn litres), Czechia (0.6 bn litres) and Ireland (0.5 bn litres) as the main exporters in 2024.

For imports, France continued to be the largest importer of beer containing alcohol in 2024, with 0.8 bn litres. The other big importers were Italy with more than 0.7 bn litres, followed by Spain and Germany each with almost 0.6 bn litres, and the Netherlands with almost 0.5 bn litres.