Glass half empty: beer sales slump in the heartland

The Netherlands is home to some of the highest-profile beer brands on the planet - among them Heineken, Grolsch and Amstel.

But the Dutch are losing their taste for beer, recent sales figures indicate.

Dutch beer sales have dipped 5.1% at home, the Nederlandse Brouwers organisation reported. The figures for non-alcoholic beers were worse: down 9.4%.  

The Dutch brewers association says the decline in beer sales is due to an 8.4% increase in excise duty on alcoholic beer and an almost 200% increase in consumption tax for non-alcoholic beer, pushing prices up, the drinks business news portal reported.

The association also identified that people also notably drank less due to the poor weather, which led to fewer opportunities for barbecues and drinking in pub gardens.

Nederlandse Brouwers said it was concerned about the sudden drop in non-alcoholic beer consumption in particular and has called upon its government to scrap the tax in a bid to support the industry.

On January 1, 2024, the Dutch government increased consumption tax on non-alcoholic drinks from €8.83 per hectolitre to €26.13 per hectolitre.

“Now that the holiday season has arrived, we hope people will go to the terrace or beach more often to drink a beer together," said Nederlandse Brouwers chairman Fred Teevan.

"Or enjoy the many beautiful beers brewed by Dutch brewers during a barbecue. It would be nice if we finally had a longer period of sunny weather. In any case, breweries are ready to respond to a beautiful summer.”

Image: Kapil Tejwani, Scop.io 

Oktoberfest city adds alcohol-free zone

You know consumer trends are drastically changing when the home of one of the world’s biggest celebrations of beer adds an alcohol-free space.

Yep, Munich - home of the legendary Oktoberfest - has created an area near its central railway station where sad ass revellers can drink zero-alcohol beers.

Called Die Null (The Zero), the venue will serve exclusively alcohol-free drinks to visitors before the festival, which is due to be held for the 189th time from September 21 to October 6.

The decision to open Die Null was also partly taken in an attempt to curb anti-social behaviour before and during Oktoberfest, when thousands of beer fans descend on the city of Munich to raise a stein or two… or three.

Local government officials decided to position the alcohol-free beer garden in the middle of the city so that it would be “anchored in the centre of society.”

Die Null was opened by Munich city mayor Dieter Reiter last week and will remain open until the provisional date of September 15 to encourage a peaceful build-up to Oktoberfest.

Guests at the open-air, alcohol-free establishment will be allowed to bring their own food, and there will be free live entertainment provided by bands, choirs and DJs. Soft drinks, mocktails, juices, water and non-alcoholic beers will be on offer to thirsty visitors.

It just doesn't sound all that festive to me.