The past year has been tough for businesses across the Netherlands, but if you’re hoping to play your part and help bars and restaurants in your local area survive the coronavirus crisis, then new research has discovered exactly what you need to do: drink 223 beers. 

Supporting the Dutch hospitality industry during coronavirus

Everyone has a local - the place where they like to go to drink a coffee and get some work done, or where they meet up with friends on a sunny afternoon for a couple of drinks and some bitterballen. But maybe you’re worried about the future of your local bar or restaurant, and are wondering how you could help them climb out of the potentially lethal effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

Well, worry no longer! ABN Amro has done some research into what you can do to drag the Dutch hospitality industry out of its debt. According to their figures, around 16.000 businesses in the Netherlands have accrued approximately 943 million euros worth of debt. To cancel out this debt, members of the public can drink 223,4 beers each. 

"Can I get 223 beers, please?"

The Dutch bank based their sum on the tax liability of the Dutch catering industry: “If you consider a beer worth three euros for the sake of convenience, you can assume that you will be left with 0.30 euros as profit. 943 million divided by 30 cents are 3,143,333,333.33 beers,” explains Oskar Barendse, a financial expert at Knab.

According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), there are 14,070,340 people of legal drinking age in the Netherlands. So 3,143,333,333.33 beers divided by 14,070,340 people equals 223,4 beers per person.