British tourists are being encouraged to consume more beer during their visits to Spain as a measure to support the country's struggling breweries. This initiative comes in response to a significant drop in beer consumption within Spain, which has seen a 16.1 percent decrease since 2022.
Overall drinking outside the home has also seen a general slump. A 2025 Food Consumption Report indicated a 9.4 percent decline in such activities between 2022 and 2025. Beer, despite its popularity, is identified as the primary factor in this downturn.
Per capita beer consumption outside the home in Spain reached 18.4 liters per person in 2025, a decrease from 19.9 liters in the preceding year. Factors contributing to this decline are believed to include reduced disposable income among Spanish citizens and a shift towards newer forms of leisure, such as screen-based activities and an increased focus on health and wellness. Consequently, many companies are reportedly transitioning to alcohol-free beverage options in response to consumer demand.
Despite these trends, the overall beer market in Spain in 2025 remained 2.7 percent higher than in 2022, a figure described as "particularly positive" by Jacobo Olalla, director-general of Cerveceros de España.
This trend of declining alcohol consumption is not unique to Spain. In the United Kingdom, approximately a quarter of adults now abstain from alcohol entirely. This shift is particularly pronounced among younger demographics and a growing number of men who are reportedly turning away from alcoholic beverages. The popularity of low- and alcohol-free drinks is also on the rise, with more adults embracing "sober curious" lifestyles and opting for alcohol-free alternatives to traditional drinks.
As of May 2026, 53 percent of UK adults had consumed low or no-alcohol beer, wine, cider, spirits, or cocktails in the previous 12 months. Young adults, aged 16 to 24, showed the highest rates of abstention. Among men in this age group, 39 percent reported not having consumed alcohol in the past year, compared to 17 percent of those aged 75 and over. For women, the highest proportions of non-drinkers were also in the 16 to 24 age bracket (31 percent) and the 75 and over bracket (30 percent).