German Beer Consumption Slumps

Beer consumption in Germany dropped in 2007, following the trend of eight of the last nine years.

Germans drank 112.5 liters of beer per capita, still ranking them among the top beer lovers in the world. But that number dropped 3.5 liters from the previous year. In 2006, Germany hosted the World Cup soccer tournament, helping to boost sales. Germans supporters and visiting soccer fans, coupled with a hot summer, boosted demand.

Beer consumption in Germany is down 28 percent from its peak in the mid-1980s, when the per capita consumption hit a record 156 liters. Demographics in the country are playing a big part in the decline. Additionally, Germans are increasingly turning to various non-alcoholic drinks options.