Beverages Further decline in beer sales in Switzerland
The downturn in the Swiss beer market continues. In the last brewing year 2024/25 (as at the end of September), beer sales including non-alcoholic beers shrank by 1.8% to 4.72 million hectoliters.
26.11.2025, 11:39
SDA
The boom in craft beers is waning. On the other hand, demand for traditional beer styles such as lager, pale ale and increasingly pilsner is on the rise again, the Swiss Brewers' Association (SBV) announced to the media in Zurich on Thursday.
Non-alcoholic beer is included in the figures for the first time. In contrast to alcoholic beer, the output of non-alcoholic beer grew by 13 percent to 353,307 hectoliters, bringing the share of non-alcoholic beer to 7.5 percent after 7.0 percent in the previous year.
Without the non-alcoholic beers, the situation looks even bleaker. Sales of beer with alcohol fell by 2.8% to 4.37 million hectoliters.
Gastronomy continues to slow down
The gastronomy sector continued to suffer. The proportion of beer sales accounted for by the restaurant trade fell from 31.4 percent in the previous year to 30.7 percent at present. This means that people are increasingly buying their beer in stores. As a reminder: 20 years ago, the ratio was still balanced.
"Rural and beverage-heavy restaurants in particular are struggling with dwindling customer numbers and therefore struggling to survive," wrote the association. If coronavirus loans also have to be paid, it will be tight for many.
In addition, the regulars' table is under generational pressure and is literally dying out, wrote the brewers' association: "There is nothing comparable to follow." The population's changed leisure, spending and consumer behavior is also an important reason for the current negative trend.
People are increasingly withdrawing into their private lives, explained the SBC. The 14 to 29-year-olds in particular are going to fewer parties or clubs. Leisure time is shifting more towards individual and digital activities.
