Breweries in the Czech Republic brewed roughly 20 million hectoliters of beer last year, which was 2.7 percent less year-on-year. The average consumption per inhabitant also fell, reaching a historic low. Compared to 2022, it has decreased from 136 to 128 liters per year. This follows from the data of the Czech Association of Breweries and Malthouses. According to the union, the ongoing economic uncertainty and changes in the consumer behavior of customers had a negative impact on beer consumption per person and the share of sales in pubs and restaurants.
“For the fourth year already, the values of the annual beer exhibition for the domestic market are below the level of 2010. Unfortunately, the expected revival of sales last year was hampered directly and indirectly by the unfavorable economic situation. This trend continues to have a negative effect on pubs and restaurants, especially those in smaller towns and villages,” said the director of the union, Tomáš Slunečko. According to him, the habits of consumers are also changing, and they are increasingly leaning towards non-alcoholic beer or beer-based mixed drinks.
Of the beer brewed in the Czech Republic, 15.2 million hectoliters were consumed on the domestic market last year, 2.4 percent less year-on-year. After two years of growth, last year’s export of beer abroad also decreased by 4.3 percent to 5.17 million hectoliters. According to the association, this roughly corresponds to the values from 2018. The most important export markets are still Slovakia, Germany and Poland.
The decline did not escape the sale of beer in pubs either. The year before last, according to previous data from the association, 31 percent drank it in restaurants and pubs, last year it was 30 percent. At the same time, even 15 years ago, 51 percent of Czech beer was drunk in restaurants, the association said.
According to his statistics, lager remains the most popular among the Czechs, i.e. an eleven- to twelve-degree bottom-fermented beer. It accounts for roughly 57 percent of sales, while the share of draft beer fell to 38 percent.
Last year, breweries put two fifths of brewed beer into glass bottles and 29 percent into barrels. A fifth of the beer was in cans and roughly a tenth in PET bottles.
The association considers the growing popularity of non-alcoholic beer and so-called beer mixes, i.e. mixed beer-based drinks, to be a positive trend. Year-on-year, breweries produced 9.3 percent more last year, namely 1.42 million hectoliters.
The Czech Association of Breweries and Malthouses brings together breweries, malthouses and other institutions involved in the production of beer. Among the members are 26 brewing companies, five malt houses and 18 contributing companies.
