Southern Europe's Beverage Markets: Between Stability, Segment Shifts, and New Areas of Growth

Current market data from the beverage markets in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece

The latest market data from Statista Market Insights for Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece make it clear: There is no such thing as a uniform Southern European beverage market. Rather, high per capita consumption of non-alcoholic beverages coexists with very different beer cultures, divergent consumption patterns, and varying levels of development among independent breweries. This is particularly evident when comparing Spain and Portugal on the one hand, and Italy and Greece on the other.

Spain: Non-Alcoholic Beverages Below the European Average

Spain occupies a unique position among the markets under review. The total volume of non-alcoholic beverages will stand at 112 liters per capita in 2025, well below the European average of 179 liters. However, clear areas of growth are evident within this market.

Mineral water will reach a volume of around 70 liters per capita by 2025; according to Statista Market Insights, slight growth of about 2 percent is expected here by 2030. Energy drinks are growing much more rapidly: at just under 6 liters per capita, Spain is above the European average of 2.95 liters. Growth of around 8 percent is expected in this segment by 2030.

Ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee and tea beverages, on the other hand, remain a small but growing segment in Spain. Per capita volume will stand at 0.34 liters in 2025, well below the European average of 1.28 liters. Starting from this low level, growth of around 8 percent is projected through 2030. For manufacturers, this results in a market that, while not yet characterized by high RTD volumes, offers room for development—particularly for concepts that combine convenience, enjoyment, and new consumption occasions.

Spain: A Highly Significant Beer Market

Spain is significantly better positioned in the beer segment. Per capita consumption of alcoholic beer is projected to reach around 85 liters by 2025. This places Spain well above the European average, which will stand at just under 48 liters in 2024. While a downward trend is emerging for Europe as a whole, per capita consumption in Spain is expected to grow by about 7 percent by 2030. Non-alcoholic beer, at 4.9 liters per capita, also exceeds the European average of 2.7 liters, with this category expected to see a further increase of about 4 percent.

The Independent Brewers of Europe (IBE) Report 2026 confirms Spain’s unique position in the European beer market. Spain also stands out in the independent beer segment. The 132 Spanish IBE member breweries have the lowest production volumes compared to other European countries. According to the IBE Report, Spanish independent beers have an average ABV of 6.0 percent, the second-highest alcohol content among the countries surveyed. This can be interpreted as an indication of a more flavor- and style-driven positioning by independent breweries: In a market heavily dominated by major lager brands, independent brewers often differentiate themselves through more intense, complex beer styles. This is consistent with the fact that IPAs are cited in the IBE Report as the most important style among Spanish independent brewers.

At the same time, diversification beyond beer remains limited in Spain. According to the IBE Report, only about 11 percent of the Spanish independent breweries surveyed produce beverages other than beer; these consist entirely of mead. However, the case studies in the report show that non-alcoholic beers and new flavor profiles are gaining relevance. Cerveza SanFrutos cites non-alcoholic beer as a growth area, while Sáez & Son focuses on IPAs, sours, and stouts and describes the professionalization of the Spanish independent beer sector as a key challenge.

Portugal: Above-Average Consumption of Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Strong Non-Alcoholic Beer Market

Portugal exhibits a different market profile than its Iberian neighbor. According to Statista Market Insights, the total volume of non-alcoholic beverages will reach 253 liters per capita in 2025, well above the European average. This figure is expected to remain largely stable through 2030. Growth will thus stem less from a general increase in volume and more from shifts within the categories.

Energy drinks in Portugal will reach a volume of 4.7 liters per capita by 2025, exceeding the European average of 2.95 liters. Market growth of around 10 percent is expected by 2030. RTD beverages also sit slightly above the European average of 1.28 liters, at 1.45 liters per capita, and are projected to grow by about 8 percent by 2030. Portugal thus presents a market profile in which functional and convenient beverage formats already have a visible foothold and can be further expanded.

Portugal: An Exciting Market for Non-Alcoholic Beer

The figure for non-alcoholic beer is particularly striking. At 11.3 liters per capita, Portugal is well above the European average of 2.7 liters and also clearly ahead of Spain. Further growth of around 10 percent is expected for this category by 2030. Alcoholic beer consumption is projected to reach 38 liters per capita by 2025. This places Portugal significantly below Spain in this regard, but it also shows growth potential: an increase of around 11 percent is expected for alcoholic beer.

Portugal can thus be described as a market in which non-alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beer are particularly prominent, while alcoholic beer shows a more moderate but growing level of consumption. For producers, the market is particularly attractive where non-alcoholic and functional concepts are combined with flavor, suitability for everyday use, and social consumption.

Italy: Mineral Water Dominates the Non-Alcoholic Beverage Market

Compared to other Southern European countries, Italy is strongly characterized by non-alcoholic beverages. The total volume of non-alcoholic beverages will reach 229 liters per capita in 2025, well above the European average. Mineral water is particularly prominent: at 173 liters per capita, Italy reaches a very high level in this category, according to Statista Market Insights. Further growth of around 6 percent is expected by 2030. As a result, mineral water remains one of the structurally most important beverage segments in the Italian market.

Energy drinks in Italy, at 2.95 liters per capita, are at the European average. Growth of around 6 percent is expected by 2030. RTD beverages will reach a volume of 1.1 liters per capita in 2025, slightly below the European average of 1.28 liters. Unlike in other markets, no significant change is expected here by 2030.

Italy: Beer Grows Against the European Trend

In the beer segment, Italy shows a low but growing level of consumption. Consumption of alcoholic beer will reach around 30 liters per capita by 2025. Growth of more than 10 percent is expected by 2030. Italy is thus bucking the European trend, which overall points to a decline in per capita consumption. Non-alcoholic beer, on the other hand, remains underdeveloped at 0.2 liters per capita and is well below the European average of 2.7 liters.

According to the IBE Report, independent breweries in Italy are strongly positioning themselves around modern beer styles: IPA is the most important style among Italian independent brewers, followed by pale lager and pilsner. Distribution channels are a structurally significant factor. The IBE Report notes that only 11 percent of Italian independent breweries sell through supermarkets.

Greece: Highest Per-Capita Consumption of Non-Alcoholic Beverages

According to Statista Market Insights, Greece will lead the Southern European markets analyzed in 2025 in terms of non-alcoholic beverage consumption, with 288 liters per capita. At the same time, the soft drink segment, at 57 liters per capita, is below the European average of 65.4 liters. However, growth of just under 9 percent is expected here by 2030. RTD beverages remain below the European average at 0.72 liters per capita but are projected to grow by around 4 percent.

Greece: Foodservice as the Most Relevant Distribution Channel for Breweries

In the beer segment, Greece presents a stable picture. Alcoholic beer consumption is projected to reach 47.5 liters per capita in 2025, which is nearly on par with the European average. Consumption is expected to remain largely constant through 2030. Non-alcoholic beer, on the other hand, remains very small at 0.21 liters per capita and is significantly below the European average of 2.7 liters.

However, the IBE Report 2026 offers an interesting additional perspective on Greece. While most IBE markets recorded declining beer consumption figures between 2023 and 2024, average beer consumption in Greece rose by 7.9 percent. One reason for this appears to be the strong foodservice market.

According to the IBE Report, 47 percent of the beer produced by independent Greek breweries is sold through restaurants. Only 3 percent is sold in local pubs. Direct sales channels via the breweries’ own pubs, taprooms, or shops play no role in Greece, according to the report. The report attributes this, among other things, to the country’s strong food-led restaurant culture. So it’s no wonder that draft beer dominates in Greece. With a 64 percent share of draft beer, it ranks among the leading countries in this packaging and serving format. This underscores the importance of the foodservice sector as a key market channel.

Also striking is the significance of non-alcoholic beers within Greek independent beer production. Although per capita consumption of non-alcoholic beer is very low in the overall market, 40 percent of the Greek brewers surveyed in the IBE Report stated that non-alcoholic beer is among their top three most-produced styles. This may indicate an early supply impulse in the independent segment that is ahead of the broader mass market.

Market Outlook: Opportunities Arise at the Intersections

The Southern European beverage markets are not undergoing a uniform transformation but are instead in a phase of differentiated segment shifts. Growth arises where established consumption habits are combined with new demands: non-alcoholic beer as a complement to beer culture, energy drinks as a functional growth segment, RTD concepts as a convenience offering, and mineral water as a category that remains a mainstay.

For beverage manufacturers, this does not result in a straightforward trend path, but rather a portfolio and production challenge. Markets such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece require different strategic focuses: alcoholic beer remains relevant, non-alcoholic concepts are selectively gaining importance, functional beverages are growing in clearly defined segments, and independent breweries are responding with stylistic diversity, specialization, and new product formats.

Southern Europe thus exemplifies how differently European beverage markets react to similar social and economic conditions. It will be crucial for manufacturers not to level these differences but to leverage them in a market-specific way: with flexible production structures, clear positioning, and portfolios that precisely reflect local consumer realities.

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