(C) Marketing Edge Magazine
SEOUL — South Korea has secured its position as the 15th largest beer-consuming nation in the world, with its citizens consuming more than 70 bottles of beer per person annually.
According to the "2024 Global Beer Consumption by Country" report released on December 24 by Japan’s Kirin Holdings, South Korea’s total beer consumption last year reached 2.307 million kiloliters (kL). This represents a 0.7% increase from the previous year, placing the country 15th out of 170 nations surveyed.
Key Metrics for South Korea
The report, which compiles data from international brewers' associations and the latest industry statistics, reveals that the average South Korean adult consumed 44.6 liters of beer over the past year. When converted to the standard 633ml large bottle often used as a benchmark in industry statistics, this equates to approximately 70.5 bottles per person—an increase of 0.6 bottles compared to the previous year.
Global Rankings: China Dominates, Czechia Leads per Capita
On a global scale, China maintained its position as the world’s largest beer consumer for the 22nd consecutive year, with a total volume of 40.534 million kL. It was followed by the United States (22.34 million kL) in second place and Brazil (15.304 million kL) in third. Japan ranked 11th with a total consumption of 4.135 million kL.
In terms of per capita consumption, the Czech Republic remained the undisputed champion for the 32nd year in a row. The average Czech citizen drinks a staggering 148.8 liters of beer annually, nearly 3.3 times the amount consumed by the average South Korean.
Shifting Trends: Growth Driven by Emerging Markets
The total global beer consumption reached 194.12 million kL, a slight year-on-year increase of 0.5%. Kirin Holdings noted that this volume is equivalent to filling the Tokyo Dome approximately 157 times.
While consumption in traditional powerhouses like China and Japan saw slight declines, the global growth was largely driven by emerging markets. Notably, India saw a significant surge of 14.6%, the highest growth rate among the top 25 countries. Russia (+9.0%) and Thailand (+5.8%) also showed robust increases, offsetting the market stagnation in more mature economies.
The Rise of Health-Conscious Consumption
Industry analysts point out that while total volume is holding steady or growing slightly, the internal dynamics of the market are shifting. A notable trend in 2024 and 2025 is the rapid expansion of the non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beer segments. Driven by the "sober curious" movement among Millennials and Gen Z, non-alcoholic beer grew by nearly 9% globally, even as traditional premium beer sales faced headwinds due to economic uncertainty.
In South Korea, the market continues to be dominated by major local players such as Oriental Brewery (OB) and HiteJinro, though the demand for premium craft options and diverse imported labels remains a significant factor in the domestic landscape.
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