Per capita 15+ alcohol consumption down 6.3 percent in 2025

30 July 2026

In the Netherlands the recorded alcohol consumption per resident aged 15 and over fell 6.3 percent last year compared to 2024, according to the Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy STAP.

The STAP data are based on consumption data from the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin, figures on excise revenues from Statistics Netherlands, and recent information regarding the Dutch beer market in 2025 from Brewers of Europe (booklet European Beer Trends 2026) and Dutch Brewers.

The figures show that the number of liters of alcoholic beer sold decreased by 7% in 2025 (while alcohol-free beer actually increased). The decline in wine sales was also substantial, namely 12.7%, while that of spirits — remarkably —risen by 4%! The latter is a clear indication of the popularity of mixed drinks and spirits, while the overall trend is actually a decline in alcohol consumption.

From a prevention perspective, it is relevant to know how much pure alcohol the average Dutch person 15+ ultimately consumed. It is calculated that in 2025, 6.96 liters of pure alcohol were consumed per capita: 3.29 liters in the form of beer, 2.29 liters in the form of wine, and 1.38 liters in the form of spirits.

Earlier versions of this article contained provisional figures of the consumption of beer and spirits.

News

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