The Polish beer market has entered a phase of sustained slowdown. According to the latest data from NielsenIQ, in 2025, volume sales fell by 5.5%, while value sales dropped by 4.1%. The recession has hit the industry even during the traditionally high summer season, causing concern among producers and hop growers. The only segment showing resilience to negative trends remains non-alcoholic beer, although its growth momentum has clearly slowed.

Sharp Decline in Sales

The beer market shrank by 5.5% in volume and 4.1% in value in 2025, indicating a clear regression in the industry.

High Excise Duty as a Barrier to Development

Since 2019, excise tax has increased by over 40%, making Polish beer relatively more expensive than in Western Europe.

Crisis in Hop Farming

Declines in beer production are forcing hop growers to limit cultivation area due to lower demand for raw materials.

Zero Percent Segment as Hope

Non-alcoholic beers (0.0%) are the only category still recording growth, although their momentum has begun to weaken.

During the conference "Brewing Industry at a Turning Point" at the PAP Press Center, alarming data on the condition of Polish brewing was presented. The year 2025 proved exceptionally difficult, bringing a 5.5% decline in volume sales. The market collapse is particularly evident in the summer months, when consumption traditionally peaks. In May, a decline of 11.6% was recorded, in July 8.9%, and in August 4.1%. Experts emphasize that beer is ceasing to be a daily purchase product, a result of a combination of economic and social factors. Bartłomiej Morzycki, General Director of the Polish Breweries Association, points to a drastic increase in excise duty, which has risen by over 40% since 2019. Currently, tax burdens in Poland are higher than in countries with rich winemaking traditions, such as France or Italy. The industry appeals for stabilization of the regulatory environment, fearing that new regulations concerning advertising and the deposit return system may deepen the crisis. This situation directly hits small shops, for which beer is a key source of revenue. For decades, Poland held top positions in European rankings of beer consumption per capita, evolving after 1989 from small, local breweries to a market dominated by large international corporations. The crisis in brewing also resonates in agriculture. Michał Kopik from PolishHops explains that lower demand for raw materials forces growers to reduce hop cultivation. This is a classic example of interconnected vessels, where a decline in consumption of the final product impacts the entire supply chain. Hope for producers lies in the 0.0% segment, which is growing despite the overall economic climate, and they are counting on more favorable weather conditions in the upcoming 2026 season. „Beer is ceasing to be an everyday product. The market needs stabilization, not further increases.” — Bartłomiej Morzycki Change in Beer Sales in 2025: 2025-05: -11.6, 2025-07: -8.9, 2025-08: -4.1 -5.5% — decline in beer volume sales in 2025 Liberal media emphasize the impact of inflation and the changing lifestyle of young adults on declining alcohol consumption. | Conservative media focus on excessive state fiscalism and the impact of high excise duty on Polish agriculture and trade.

Mentioned People

  • Bartłomiej Morzycki — General Director of the Polish Breweries Association in Poland - Browary Polskie.
  • Michał Kopik — Marketing Director of PolishHops, industry expert and author of the PiwnyGaraż.pl website.