According to recent figures from the European statistics office Eurostat, the market for alcohol-free beer in Europe has grown significantly in recent years, with the Netherlands occupying the spot as the continent’s third-largest producer of the non-alcoholic beverage. 

Breweries in Europe produce 1,7 billion litres of alcohol-free beer

Last year, breweries in Europe produced just under 1,7 billion litres of non-alcoholic beer, marking an increase of over 20 percent compared with 2020. The Netherlands alone accounted for the production of around 202 million litres - approximately one-eighth of the total European production - making the country the third-largest producer, behind Germany (400 million litres) and Spain (264 million litres). 

While these figures do demonstrate how fast the market for non-alcoholic beverages has grown, they cannot compare to the amount of beer produced in Europe on an annual basis; in 2021, 33,1 billion litres of beer were produced in the EU.

The Netherlands a key producer and exporter of (non-alcoholic) beer

The Netherlands may be small, but its status within the world of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beer is undeniable, thanks to the significant number of breweries that were founded and are based in the Netherlands. Last year, the country was the number one exporter of beer in Europe, and the fourth-largest producer in the EU.