Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2023

• Global beer consumption increased slightly from the previous year as the economy recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• China was the largest overall consumer for the 21st straight year, with Asia the leading region.
• The Czech Republic remained the top per-capita consumer for the 31st consecutive year.

TOKYO, Thursday December 19, 2024 - Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Kirin Holdings) published the Global Beer Consumption Report for 2023 which summarizes the details of global beer consumption in 170 major countries and regions. The report is based on findings obtained from questionnaires sent by Kirin Holdings to various brewers’ associations around the world, as well as the latest industry statistics available overseas. The data for global beer consumption has been tracked by Kirin Holdings since 1975.

Total global beer consumption in 2023 increased by approximately 200,000 kl (equivalent to approximately 300 million 633ml bottles) from the previous year to approximately 187.9 million kl (up 0.1% from the previous year, or approximately 296.9 billion 633ml bottles equivalent). This would be the equivalent of filling about 152 Tokyo Domes (Tokyo Dome=about 1.24 million kl).

1. Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2023 (Table 1)

China remained the largest beer-consuming country in the world for the 21st consecutive year since 2003, remaining at 0.0% compared to 2022.

Japan was ranked 7th for 14 years until 2020 but dropped to 8th in 2021, 10th in 2022, and then to 11th in 2023 (down 1.0% from the previous year).

Thailand climbed into the top 20 countries (up 1.1% from the previous year) for the first time in 6 years to 18th.

2. Global Beer Consumption by Region in 2023 (Table 2)

Asia (down 0.6% from the previous year), the top destination for the 16th consecutive year, experienced a year-on-year decline, with Vietnam (down 13.8%), Japan (down 1.0%), and other countries decreased, resulting in an overall year-on-year decline.

3. Per-capita Beer Consumption by Country in 2023 (Table 3)

The Czech Republic consumed 152.1 liters of beer per capita, remaining the world’s top in per-capita beer consumption for the 31st consecutive year since 1993.

Croatia moved up significantly in ranking to 5th from 10th the previous year. On the other hand, Poland, which ranked 5th the previous year, dropped significantly to 12th.

Japan consumed 34.5 liters of beer—the equivalent of about 54.4 633ml bottles—on a per-capita basis in 2022, up the equivalent of 0.4 633ml bottles year-on-year.

Sources

Questionnaires sent by Kirin to the brewers’ associations in major countries.

BarthHaas-Report-2023-2024 (BARTH−HAAS GROUP)

Beer Market Data Extract 2024 (GlobalData Plc)
*Survey period: January-December 2023
*Figures may not match those in past reports perfectly due to a change in the survey data company after FY2013.

The Jozo Sangyo Shimbunsha estimates consumption in Japan.
*Consumption volume in Japan is a combination of beer, happo-shu (malt liquor), and new genre (non-malt beer).

Note

Due to rounding, the figures may not necessarily add up perfectly.
Among the countries whose figures for the previous year were revised for this year’s report, the revised figures are used to calculate year-on-year changes.
*The volume of global consumption for the previous year has been updated (revised from 192.10 million kl to 187.73 million kl).

About Kirin Holdings

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.

Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.

Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV* creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.
*: Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.

(Table 1) Global Beer Consumption by Country in 2023

Comments

Global beer consumption stood at approximately 187.9 million kl. Despite the unstable global situation, including the protracted war between Russia and Ukraine, the 0.1% increase over the previous year was due to the economic recovery resulting from the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in countries around the world.

China ranked first for the 21st consecutive year with no change (±0.0%) over the previous year. The top 5 countries all posted year-on-year increases, leading the way in raising total consumption.

Thailand (up 1.1% from the previous year) rose to within the top 20 to 18th, for the first time in six years (15th in 2017).

(Table 2) Global Beer Consumption by Region in 2022

Note: Consumption volume in Japan is a combination of beer, happo-shu (malt liquor), and new genre (non-malt beer).

Comments

Annual beer consumption in Asia was the highest in the world for the 16th consecutive year, with a global market share of 32.0%.

First-place Asia’s overall 0.6% decrease over the previous year was mainly due to decreases of 13.8% and 1.0% in Vietnam and Japan respectively.

Second-place Europe recorded a decrease of 2.9% from the previous year due to decreases in consumption in Germany and U.K., of 5.5% and 4.0% respectively among others, although consumption increased in Russia and Ukraine by 1.9% and 8.3%.

Third-place Central and South America saw a 1.7% increase over the previous year as consumption in Brazil and Mexico rose 1.4% and 4.0%, respectively.

Fourth-place North America increased 4.5% from the previous year, led by a 5.2% increase in the United States.

(Table 3) Per-capita Beer Consumption by Country in 2023

Comments

The Czech Republic* led all other nations in per-capita beer consumption for the 31st consecutive year.

Croatia, Slovenia, South Africa, and Serbia all experienced rapid growth, moving up more than five places from the previous year each.

Poland, which ranked 5th the previous year, dropped significantly to 12th.

*: Due to the change in data references, there is a large discrepancy in the number of units increased or decreased year-on-year in the Czech Republic.