Belgium no longer a nation of beer drinkers

In 1983, Belgium counted 38,128 pubs. More than 30 years later, in 2012, that number has more than halved to 17,512, according to figures from Guidea, knowledge centre for the the tourism and hospitality industry. Although Belgium is known abroad as a nation of beer drinkers, the reality is that Belgian consumption is steadily decreasing.

Belgians drink on average 74 litres of beer per capita annually. That is more than 27% less than in 1992. Guidea cites several reasons for this trend: increased alcohol tests, the smoking ban, the growing popularity of wine and cava, and the increased industrialisation of beer which sees large brewers swallowing up smaller brewers, a movement that has resulted in beers becoming increasingly similar, so that people no longer identify with a particular brand of beer.