The Belgian brewing sector confronted one other difficult yr in 2024, with declining home consumption as a result of financial pressures, growing prices, and geopolitical instability.
Beer consumption in Belgium continued its downward pattern in 2024, falling 2.1% total, in accordance with the newest knowledge from Belgian Brewers Federation – the affiliation that represents brewers within the nation.
Whereas this decline is much less steep than the 6% drop in 2023, it has contributed to a virtually 20% lower over the past decade.
Each bars and eating places (down 2.9%) and retail shops (down 1.5%) noticed lowered gross sales. The closure of six breweries final yr, bringing the overall right down to 411, displays these challenges.
Exports, which beforehand compensated for falling home gross sales, additionally decreased by 3.4% in 2024 (albeit lower than the 7.5% drop in 2023). Regardless of these difficulties, Belgian beer stays a well-liked export, with 70% of manufacturing offered internationally.
Nonetheless, the Belgian brewing trade demonstrates resilience and flexibility, evident within the €178 million funding in 2024.
This funding centered on modernising amenities, bettering sustainability, and native sourcing of elements.
Breweries are more and more adopting eco-friendly practices like by-product reuse and renewable power. Moreover, the sector stays a major financial contributor, including an estimated €4 billion (1% of GDP) to the Belgian economic system.
Social Accountability
Belgian brewers are additionally demonstrating social accountability, as mirrored within the up to date alcohol promoting pointers, the launch of the ‘Be Accountable’ marketing campaign, and the continued growth of non-alcoholic beer choices in 2024.
This progress in non-alcoholic choices bucks the overall downward pattern and exhibits the trade’s responsiveness to evolving societal values.
The Belgian Brewers Federation has urged policymakers to create a steady and predictable enterprise setting to encourage continued funding in innovation, sustainability, and high quality, given the present financial uncertainties.
They’re advocating for prioritising efforts in opposition to alcohol abuse with out unfairly concentrating on all beer consumption and selling a reasoned, nuanced dialogue primarily based on correct data moderately than emotional rhetoric.
Krishan Maudgal, director of Belgian Brewers Federation, commented, “Stability and a predictable enterprise local weather are important to make sure a sustainable future for our sector. We due to this fact very clearly name on the brand new federal authorities to ensure authorized certainty and to not impose extra regulatory burdens on beer, or alcohol normally.
“With greater than 400 breweries firmly established in our areas, our brewers should have the house they should proceed to innovate and function sustainably.”
