Beer is very popular in the EU
In 2023, 34.3 billion liters of beer were produced in the EU. Compared to 2022, alcohol production in the EU decreased by 5%. (-1.7 billion liters). Eurostat reports that sales of beer with or without alcohol increased by 13.5%. compared to 2022 (+0.2 billion liters).
In terms of alcoholic beer production, in 2023 Germany was still the largest producer with 7.2 billion liters. Germany produces 22.3 percent. beer produced throughout the EU. In second place is Spain with 4 billion liters (12.4% of total EU production), then Poland with 3.5 billion liters (10.8%), the Netherlands with 2.4 billion liters (7.5%). ) and Belgium with 2.0 billion liters (6.3%).
European champions in foreign beer trade
As in previous years, trade data shows that in 2023 the leading exporter of alcoholic beer was the Netherlands. In 2023, the Netherlands exported a total of 1.8 billion liters of alcoholic beer (in the EU and beyond), which is 21.5%. total beer exports from EU countries. Compared to 2022, the Netherlands recorded a decrease in beer exports by 0.1 billion liters. The European runners-up in beer exports are Germany and Belgium, each with 1.4 billion liters. They are followed by the Czech Republic and Ireland with 0.5 billion liters each.
France was again the largest importer of alcoholic beer in 2023 with 0.9 billion liters, equivalent to 17.1%. total imports to the EU. The other significant importers were Italy with over 0.7 billion liters and Spain, the Netherlands and Germany with almost 0.6 billion liters each.
An EU with a high level of self-sufficiency
When it comes to the main directions of alcoholic beer exports to non-EU countries, Great Britain is in first place with 0.8 billion liters (22.8% of total beer exports outside the EU). The USA comes in second place with 0.6 billion liters (16.1%). In third place is Russia with 0.3 billion liters (8.4%), China with 0.3 billion liters (7.3%) and Cuba with 0.2 billion liters (5.2%).
Imports of alcoholic beers from non-EU countries are marginal compared to imports within the EU. When it came to imports from non-EU countries, EU countries preferred British beer. Of this, 0.3 billion liters were imported (57.6% of all beer imports from outside the EU in 2023). 0.1 billion liters of beer (17.2%) were imported from Mexico.
