Asia continues to dominate global beer consumption: Kirin report

04-Jan-2021 - Last updated on 04-Jan-2021 at 15:56 GMT

Pic:getty/sereypeterman

Asia remains the top consuming region of beer for the 12th consecutive year, according to the latest report from Kirin Beer University.

Global beer consumption came in at around 189.05 million kiloliters in 2019, up 0.5% from the previous year. Asia's market grew slightly, consuming 0.7% more beer in 2019 compared to the year before, and the region now holds a 33% share of the global beer market. While Europe is the next largest market with a 26.4% market share, growth in the region was flat (0.0%).

China leads world consumption

In Asia, China remains the largest beer-consuming country. It also maintains its position as the largest beer consuming country in the world (a mantle it has held since 2003), with a 20.9% share of the global market. While beer consumption declined in 2019 by 0.4%, this is attributed to a maturing consumer market and market saturation: while products in the mid-high price range have seen strong sales as people gain more disposable income.

Japan is the second largest consumer in the Asian region, and seventh largest in the world.

Beer consumption increased in Vietnam (up 3.4%), India (up 3.1%) and the Philippines (up 5.1%). Strong growth in the Philippines is attributed to sustained economic growth, despite a knock in beer volumes in the second half of 2019 (due to a drop in prices of farm produce, hog cholera, earthquakes, typhoons and other factors).

Europe is the second largest beer consuming region, accounting for a 26.4% global market share, followed by Central and South America with 17.3% and North America with 13.7%.

The US is the second largest beer consumer (although volumes declined 0.5% in 2019) followed by Brazil, Mexico and Russia. Germany, Japan, the UK, Vietnam and Spain make up the top ten.

However, in per capita terms, the Czech Republic is the largest consumer and has been since 1993. This is followed by other traditional beer markets such as Austria, Romania, Germany and Poland.

Africa – while only accounting for a 7.8% share of the global market – far outpaced growth in any other region at 5.2%: representing its ninth year of consecutive growth.