Beer continues to be Ireland’s favourite alcohol drink, with a market share of 42.9% in 2023, according to a new report from Drinks Ireland|Beer, the Ibec group that represents the sector.
The report finds that beer exports grew by 11%, reaching a value of €330 million. Lager remains the dominant beer category in Ireland, despite a 2% decline to 57.6% market share.
Stout increased its market share by 2.6% to 35.6%, and ale's share grew marginally to 4.9%.
'Alcohol Consumption'
"We are continuing to see a drop in alcohol consumption in Ireland, aligning with other European countries in this regard. While consumption continues to decrease, beer exports are consistently increasing," said Cormac Healy, director of Drinks Ireland.
"Beer reached an impressive €330 million in export value in 2023, an 11% increase from 2022. The industry’s growth will rely on the support shown to it by the government through reasonable policies that reflect our changing relationship with alcohol.”
Non-Alcohol Beer
The report shows that domestic beer production saw a slight increase of 1.6% in 2023, continuing its recovery from a significant 110% surge in 2022 after pandemic restrictions.
Sales of non-alcohol beer grew last year by 18% and production surged by 50% in response to rising consumer demand.
Non-alcohol beer share is now over 2% of market, an almost 100% increase in market share over the last four years.
'Moderation And Balance'
“The growth of 0.0% beer in Ireland is a direct result of investment and innovation by the industry, reacting to consumer demand," said Healy.
"This growth is driven by increased availability and awareness of non-alcohol beers, as well as consumer demand for moderation and balance."
