German beverage market shifts: baby boomers cut alcohol, low‑calorie soft drinks rise

A large international study of 32,000 consumers found that Germany’s baby‑boomer generation (aged 60+) now drinks the least alcohol among all age groups, with only 71 % having consumed alcohol in the past six months and an average of 2.6 units per occasion. This decline contributes to a historic low in German beer output.

At the same time, per‑capita consumption of all non‑alcoholic drinks fell slightly to 123.3 liters in 2025, but the segment of calorie‑reduced and calorie‑free beverages grew 5.8 % to 20.2 liters, driven by a 6.8 % rise in light cola products. The industry, represented by wafg chief executive Detlef Groß, says it has exceeded the government’s sugar‑reduction targets, and warns that a planned sugar tax for 1 January 2027 would impose heavy burdens on medium‑sized firms.