Italy: annual volume of beer consumed 2008-2023

In 2023, Italians drank 21.2 million hectoliters of beer, reporting a generally steady increase in beer consumption since 2014. In fact, each Italian had on average 36 liters of beer in 2023, whereas the per capita beer consumption amounted to 29 liters in 2010.

Beer consumption in Italy

Beer is a popular beverage among the male population, who makes up close to 64 percent of the total consumer base. Market data showed that the at-home consumption of beer gradually increased in recent years, at the expense of the out-of-home consumption. The sustainability of the beer consumption could probably be optimized: 13.6 million hectoliters of beer were commercialized in non-returnable bottles (almost exclusively in glass) in 2023, whereas the returnable bottles were used for just over half million hectoliters.

Beer types

Beer consumption changed in terms of quantity and quality as well. Over the last years, the market value share of lager beer (low fermented beer) shrunk from 94 to about 83 percent of the Italian market. On the other hand, special beer has become a more profitable segment. Lastly, the hype of low- and non-alcoholic beer seemed to have reached its conclusion. This kind of beer accounted for 1.9 percent of the market.