In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 countries that drink the least beer per capita. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global beer market, the prohibition on alcohol in several countries, the rising popularity of non-alcoholic beer in the Middle East, the major players in the region’s beverage industry, and the new horizons for Formula 1, and go directly to 5 Countries that Drink the Least Beer per Capita.
The role of beer in our world has evolved over thousands of years, changing alongside our reasons for consuming it. From its origins in the grain-rich empires of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, brewing has spread across the world and made possible civilization as we know it. Beer has been held in the highest esteem and it has been vilified. It is a commodity and a luxury, an industry and a craft. Whatever your personal opinion on beer, it is an example of a creation that has shaped our lives, history, and culture.
Global Beer Market:
As we mentioned in our article – 20 Countries that Drink the Most Beer per Capita – the global brewing industry recovered partially from the devastating effects of the pandemic and reported a global production of 1.86 billion hectolitres in 2021, a 4% increase from the previous year. However, the market is yet to return to its pre-pandemic levels, when production peaked at 1.91 billion hectolitres in 2019.
If your idea of relaxing at the end of the day involves cracking open a beer, you're not the only one. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global beer market was valued at $793.74 billion last year and is projected to grow from $821.39 billion in 2023 to $1.07 trillion by 2030, with a CAGR of 3.88% during the forecast period.
Europe is the continent that drinks the most beer in the world, with the Czech Republic being the Country that Drinks the Most Beer in Europe.
Alcohol Prohibition:
Most of the names in our list of Countries with the Lowest Consumption of Beer are Muslim nations with strict alcohol laws, thus preventing beer companies from penetrating their markets. Drinking alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden, in Islam. It is believed that the Quran forbids alcohol because it harms one’s health, can lead to addiction, and disrupts society.
Alcohol is completely banned in some parts of the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Yemen, and the Emirate of Sharjah, and consumption remains low even in those countries where drinking (and in some cases producing) alcohol is allowed. As such, the Middle East has historically not been a priority target market for the beverage alcohol industry.
The Rising Popularity of Non-Alcoholic Beer:
The Middle East, a region where traditionally less alcohol is consumed compared with other parts of the world, is fast embracing the non-alcoholic trend. In cosmopolitan cities across the region, there is an unsatisfied demand for premium beverages as consumers become increasingly discontent by soft drinks – a category that has not witnessed great innovation or disruption in recent years. Saudi Arabia, one of the most conservative markets, has recently seen a spate of openings of innovative bar concepts, in look and ambience indiscernible from any metropolitan bar in the world but, crucially, stocked with only non-alcoholic beverage offerings.
Saudi Arabia was the sixth largest market for alcohol-free beer consumption in the world in 2019, and an IWSR analysis indicates that it will remain in this position until 2024. Depending on whether one counts malt beverages, which are not true de-alcoholised beers, Iran would rank very high on the list too. Budweiser 0.0 and Heineken 0.0 are some of the popular alcohol-free beers in Saudi Arabia.
Major Players in the Beverage Industry:
The Middle East represents a unique demographic for many beverages brands, making it difficult to sell alcohol and therefore easier to sell soft drinks. Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) has a strong portfolio of brands across the region and is a market leader, with a market share of more than 40%. The company’s beverage brands are marketed through a variety of channels including, retailers, e-commerce, and direct-to-home. However, Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL)’s focus on other markets like Africa and South America means that the multinational company has outsourced most of its beverage operations to The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) and PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) in the Middle East. Unilever PLC sits in our list of the Best FTSE Dividend Stocks to Invest In.
The Coca Cola Company (NYSE:KO) also boasts a strong presence in the Middle East and represents nearly 40% of all carbonated soft drink sales in the region. Saudi Arabia leads the regional market in terms of its consumption of offerings from The Coca Cola Company (NYSE:KO), with Palestine not far behind. The Coca Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is a part of the Dow 30 Stocks List: Ranked By Hedge Fund Bullishness Index.
Similarly, PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) has also historically enjoyed a firm hold in the Middle Eastern market, due, in part, to a historic Arab league-imposed boycott on Coca-Cola, which began when the firm decided in 1968 to open a bottling plant in Israel. With sustainability at its core, the New York-based company boasts several popular beverage brands in its regional portfolio, including Shani and Sting etc. PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) ranks among theGoldman Sachs Dividend Stocks: Top 12 Stock Picks.
New Horizons for Formula 1:
Before the first Saudi Grand Prix was about to take place in Jeddah in 2021, there was a question on everyone’s mind – in a conservative country like Saudi Arabia, where alcohol is completely banned, will F1 get a pass? Many had also hoped that maybe the grand event would mark the end of Saudi Arabia’s ban on alcohol, especially after a multitude of liberal reforms implemented under the rule of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.
However, Saudi Arabia’s answer was witnessed by the whole world when the customary champagne (or sparkling wine since 2021) sprayed on the winner’s podium was instead replaced with a pink and sugary water drink. Even Max Verstappen made that revelation after his 2021 race podium celebration, when he said:
“There was no champagne. Wouldn‘t have been fun.”
And thus, even the F1 drivers aren’t above a country’s laws and Islamic beliefs. However, every restriction comes with an opportunity for a replacement and this is exactly what investors can look forward to with the Saudi Grand Prix alcohol ban. Formula 1 is a money-making behemoth and the sport generates a lot of attention, carrying with it a monumental amount of international viewership. With the no-alcohol policy, the sport can attract a fresh set of sponsors in the Middle Eastern countries with a simple substitute – non-alcoholic beverages.
For no-ABV beverage companies, the Middle East is a booming market. Saudi Arabia, in particular, is currently trying to transform its global image and has already made massive investments under the Vision 2030 initiative. This is an excellent opportunity for alcohol-free beverages to make their mark in the market and what better stage to announce one’s brand than the big race in Jeddah.
With that said, here are the Countries that Drink the Least Beerper Capita.
20 Countries that Drink the Least Beer per Capita
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Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to the Global Health Observatory of the World Health Organization, looking for Countries with the Lowest Beer Consumption of Beer per Capita. The total beer consumption by country has been measured in liters of pure alcohol per year. Beer typically contains around 5% of pure alcohol by volume, which means that 1 liter of beer contains around 0.05 liters of pure alcohol. When two countries had the same consumption of beer, we ranked them by their total alcohol consumption per capita.
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.69 liters
Although public displays of drunkenness are frowned upon, drinking alcohol in Jordan is accepted as long as it is done in moderation. Some restaurants will serve alcoholic beverages and there are also a number of bars in Amman.
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.57 liters
Indonesia is home to the world’s largest Muslim population and consumes the least alcohol for any country in Southeast Asia – just 0.6 liters of alcohol per person or not even bottle wine a year. Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in Indonesia and the country’s beer industry is worth around $600 million.
18. Djibouti
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.05 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.43 liters
Djibouti has a predominantly Muslim population and while drinking is permitted, drunken behavior could result in a two year prison term. There is no brewery in Djibouti so the country relies on imports, mostly from its neighboring African countries. Djibouti sits among Countries with the Lowest Beer Consumption per Capita in 2023.
17. Comoros
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.04 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.69 liters
Although alcoholic beverages are available in certain parts of Comoros (notably the large Volo-Volo market in the national capital Moroni), the public consumption of alcohol is generally frowned upon on the islands, as over 95% of the country’s population are devout Sunni Muslims. Castle beer from South Africa is common in the East African country.
16. Niger
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.04 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.67 liters
Although alcohol is legal to drink in Niger after the age of 18, people usually enjoy their alcohol behind closed doors and out of the public eye. The national beer is called, appropriately, Biere Niger. The only other locally produced beer is a franchise of the French West-African Flag brewery.
15. Tonga
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.03 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.8 liters
Tonga is a Polynesian kingdom of more than 170 Pacific islands, many uninhabited, most lined in white beaches and coral reefs and covered with tropical rainforest. Produced by Tonga Breweries in Ma'ufanga, the Tonga Lager is a popular beer in the country.
14. Syria
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.02 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.24 liters
Alcohol is not banned in Syria as it is in some Muslim countries. Nor is it reserved for the upper class elite or religious minorities. Syria’s constitution uses Islamic jurisprudence as a primary source of law, but the Baathist regime has kept alcohol legal, available, and cheap. The leading brands in the Syrian beer market are Almaza, Heineken, and Al-Rayess. Syria is among the Countries that Drink the Least Beer.
13. Yemen
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.02 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.05 liters
Yemen has banned alcohol to the extent that its citizens cannot purchase or drink alcohol at all. The two largest cities, Aden and Sana’a, have some large hotels and nightclubs in which alcohol can be sold to visiting foreigners.
The National Brewing Company was the only legal brewery in Yemen but it was destroyed by the northern troops entering Aden at the end of the 1994 war.
12. Tuvalu
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.01 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 1.52 liters
Tuvalu doesn’t produce its own brews and the only beer available in the country is San Miguel from the Philippines, which comes in three flavors: Light, Pale Pilsen, and the strong Red Horse – the seamen's favorite. Tuvalu ranks among Countries with the Lowest Consumption of Beer.
11. Bhutan
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.01 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.43 liters
Despite being an integral part of Bhutanese culture, alcohol consumption in Bhutan is low with 0.43 liters per capita. The South Asian kingdom boasts several breweries and produces its own beer.
10. Iran
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.00 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 1.03 liters
Alcohol has been illegal for Muslim Iranian citizens since the establishment of the Islamic Republic government in 1979. However, the strong public demand benefits the illegal multibillion-dollar business of importing alcoholic beverages and facilitating their production inside Iran. Iran sits among the Top 10 Countries that Drink the Least Beer per Capita.
9. Sudan
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.00 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.51 liters
Alcohol in Sudan has been broadly illegal since 1983, when the single-party Sudan Socialist Union passed the Liquor Prohibition Bill, making it illegal to manufacture, sell, and consume any form of alcohol for the Muslim citizens of the country. However, in 2020, Sudan legalized the consumption of alcohol by non-Muslims, which make up 3% of the North African country’s total population.
8. Pakistan
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.00 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.34 liters
Alcohol is largely prohibited for Muslims in Pakistan, but this doesn’t stop a black market from ensuring the supply of illicit liquor. However, non-Muslims with a liquor license can consume alcohol in Pakistan. Made with a combination of sugar, fruits, herbs, vegetables, and natural extract of citrus fruits, Rooh Afza is a popular refreshing drink in the country.
7. Afghanistan
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.00 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.21 liters
In Afghanistan, the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited for Afghan nationals. However, the government provides a license for various outlets to distribute alcoholic beverages to foreign journalists and tourists, and black-market alcohol consumption is prevalent as well. Non-alcoholic beer is a popular thirst-quencher in the capital city of Kabul.
6. Saudi Arabia
Beer Consumption per Capita: 0.00 liters
Overall Alcohol Consumption per Capita: 0.19 liters
It should come as no surprise that alcohol is not exactly the most popular drink in the birthplace of Islam. Alcohol consumption, import, brewing, and selling is completely banned in Saudi Arabia.
With alcoholic drinks prohibited under Islamic law, beer sales in the Saudi Arabian market are totally reliant on non alcoholic beer. Saudi Arabia ranks 6th in our List of Countries with the Lowest Beer Consumption.
