Beer brewing sector "under heavy pressure" as sales continue to fall

Thursday, 30 July 2026 - 07:00 Share this article: Brewers again sold less beer in the first half of the year. According to the trade association Nederlandse Brouwers, the beer sector is “under heavy pressure.” Brewers fear that the announced increase in beer excise duty effective January 1, 2027, will exacerbate the decline.Sales of alcoholic beer from January through June were nearly 3 percent lower than a year earlier. Compared to the first half of 2024, beer sales dropped by over 5 percent.Alcohol free beer, on the other hand, is increasingly popular. In the first half of the year, about 8 percent more alcohol-free beer was sold. However, the rise of alcohol-free beer still involves smaller volumes and does not make up for the lagging sales of regular beer.Brewers don’t think that comp