As of: February 7, 2024, 1:41 p.m
By: Jana Stabener
Comments
Press
Split
Germans have been drinking less beer for years.
At the same time, risky alcohol consumption among women increased.
What does this mean for breweries?
Last year, less beer was drunk in Germany than ever before.
Only before reunification did breweries in this country sell less beer than in 2023. This is also because Germans drink less alcohol compared to 40 years ago (including Gen Z), according to a response from the federal government in mid-November 2023.
Drinking behavior differs primarily depending on the gender of the consumer.
Men tend to prefer beer, while women prefer wine or sparkling wine. While risky consumption* among men has been declining in the long term, it has remained constant and recently even increased slightly among women, reports the Ministry of Health.
Do breweries have to change their concept in the long term to meet their taste?
Among women, risky alcohol consumption has actually increased slightly recently.
Do breweries have to change their concept in the long term to suit their taste?
© Panthermedia/IMAGO
Even in Bavaria, non-alcoholic beer is on the rise: Augustiner joins in
Strategy for women: Has the purity law had its day?
In other countries, such as Great Britain, it is common for a beer to taste like honey, such as Fullers' “Honey Dew”.
Experimental types of beer that also suit the tastes of many women are possible here because there is no purity law.
Since 1516 in Bavaria and since 1906 throughout Germany, this has required breweries to only use water, malt, hops and yeast to produce beer.
Has the Purity Law become obsolete because breweries need to reach more target groups and meet tastes in the long term?
The German Brewers Association disagrees: “It would be a mistake to assume that the Purity Law restricts diversity and is an obstacle for breweries or consumers,” says a spokeswoman for
BuzzFeed News Deutschland,
a portal owned by
Ippen.Media.
The Brewers' Association is not aware of any specific strategies for attracting women as customers.
But there is a tendency towards non-alcoholic beer and mixed beer drinks.
“We expect that soon every tenth beer brewed in Germany will be alcohol-free.” Germany is now the world leader in the production of non-alcoholic beers – it has more than doubled since 2007.
“No other segment in the brewing industry has grown so much in the last ten years,” says the Brauer-Bund.
“We are transforming from a classic beer brewer to a diverse beverage company”
German breweries are also feeling this.
“Our beverage sales, including non-alcoholic drinks, only fell by 1.9 percent,” the Radeberger Group tells
BuzzFeed News Germany
.
Oettinger reports that they started to reposition themselves quite a while ago: “We are transforming from a classic beer brewer to a diverse beverage company.
Non-alcoholic drinks and functional drinks play a fundamental role in this,” said a company spokeswoman.
At Krombacher, non-alcoholic beers and other non-alcoholic brewing products are also making up more and more of sales.
And “the proportion of non-alcoholic products that we sell in our group is currently around 40 percent.”
Krombacher is currently expanding its range of beer mixes, which “very well meets” the consumer behavior of women, with a new natural shandy without alcohol.
“These products certainly appeal to a female target group,” said the company spokesman.
My news
Floods and landslides threaten: Red weather alert in twelve districts – DWD warns Deutschlandlesen
New investigations in the Rebecca Reusch case: Now her mother is speaking out
Disappeared for 5 years: Chronicle, status of the investigation and key moments in the Rebecca Reuschlesen case
23 million euros are to be paid out to drivers in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2024
The cold snap in Baden-Württemberg is postponed
“Never take the night train again”: Woman robbed on the way from Italy to Austria read
Goodbye Purity Law?
German breweries speak out.
© Addictive Stock/IMAGO
Beer nation Germany: Why non-alcoholic beer is becoming increasingly popular
A brewery in Germany wants to think “out-of-the-box”.
The breweries do not want to forego the Purity Law.
Since it stipulates that only natural ingredients go into the beer, it is still an “important quality feature for most breweries in Germany,” says Krombacher.
“With this originality and naturalness, we not only ensure the high quality of the beer product in this country, but also meet the spirit of the times.”
Water, hops, malt and yeast: That sounds like a restriction, but that is “by no means the case,” says Radeberger Group.
There are countless possible combinations for different beers; in Germany alone there are 7,000 varieties.
“There really should be something for every taste.” Oettinger agrees: “The Purity Law has certainly not had its day,” says a spokeswoman.
But: “Innovation impulses usually only arise when you think and create out-of-the-box.”
*The guidelines of the German Center for Addiction Issues (DHS) for low-risk alcohol consumption among adults are set at a consumption limit per day/week. According to this, women should not consume more than 12 grams of alcohol and men should not consume more than 24 grams of alcohol every day. To put it into perspective: Twelve grams of alcohol are contained in a glass of beer (300 ml), wine (125 ml) or a double shot of schnapps (40 ml).
More on the topic: Brewery makes beer from powder and water – does it taste good?