The beer industry in Spain broke all records last year: consumption, production and exports were not as high in the past ten years as in 2018.
Record of more than 40 million hectolitre
This is according to figures from the employers’ association for Brewers in the country. The Dutch beer brand Heineken is number 2 when it comes to production in Spain, after Mahou San Miguel and before Damm.
Beer consumption rose by 1.5% for the sixth consecutive year, reaching the 40 million hectolitre limit for the first time. This is mainly due to the growing tourism: Spain received 82.8 million visitors last year, which led to 3.4% growth in turnover in the hotel and catering industry.
Hotel and catering industry
The hotel and catering industry accounts for 67% of beer consumption in the country, 4% more than in 2017, although the percentage is 84% when it comes to spending on beer, as prices are higher in the hotel and catering industry.
On average, a Spaniard drinks 51.8 litres of beer a year, less than the European average. In Spain, drinking beer is relatively often done with meals. Also striking is the large amount of non-alcoholic beer drunk in Spain: 13% of the total.
344,000 jobs
According to the employers’ association for Brewers in Spain, the beer industry generates around 344,000 direct and indirect jobs. This makes Spain the second country in Europe where the beer sector has the most impact on employment, only in Germany the impact is higher, with 500,000 jobs. The sector also provided the state with exceptional taxes of 354 million euro in 2018.