The Czech Republic, with a population of 10 million, is a famous beer-loving country. No one in the world drinks as much beer as the Czechs do – for decades, they have topped the list of per capita beer consumption, only occasionally dropping to second place. Traditionally, pubs have formed the heart of the Czech community, a place for people to meet, play cards and discuss life, politics and literature. Beer, pubs and lively conversation also feature in the works of Czech writers Jaroslav Hasek, Bohumil Hrabal and Jaroslav Rudis.
For centuries, beer has played a role in the region now known as the Czech Republic. Even during a time of economic decline when the country, then known as Czechoslovakia, was under communist rule, Czech beer, especially Pilsner, continued to be exported to large parts of the world. Today, several cases of Pilsner Urquell that have been blessed are sent to the Vatican each Easter. It is uncertain whether any Pope actually drinks beer.
Pilsner competitor Budvar, based in the city of Ceske Budejovice and best known for the original Budweiser, is one of the few companies in the country that withstood privatization pressure after the fall of communism and remains state-owned to this day.
Beer consumption reduced to 120 liters per person
News about beer prices, consumption, production, sales and exports in the Czech Republic are still watched with great interest. The Czech Beer and Malt Association’s recent announcement that beer consumption in the Czech Republic was set to fall to a historic low of 121 liters per capita in 2025, even as reports of rising diesel and gasoline prices coupled with America’s war with Israel and Iran, were hit.
“Every Czech drank eight fewer large beers last year than in 2024,” said public broadcaster Cesky Rozlas, which paid much attention to the topic along with other media outlets.
“In recent years, Czechs have been placing greater emphasis on moderate consumption and a healthy lifestyle,” Tomas Slunecko, head of the Czech Beer and Malt Association, explained. “And when they do go out for beer, they are more interested in the quality rather than the variety and quantity of options available. This is also reflected in the long-term increase in interest in non-alcohol beer.” Furthermore, according to the association, people are increasingly drinking beer outside pubs and restaurants.
Last year, almost a quarter of the beer sold in the Czech Republic was consumed in pubs and restaurants. Subsequently, the association has called on the government to reduce VAT on draft beer to help boost beer consumption in drinking and eating establishments, where the average price of half a liter (about 1 pint) has increased from 40 to 50 and 60 koruna (between €1.60 to between €2.00 and €2.50, or $1.90 to $2.40 and $2.90). Even in countries where Czech beer is exported, such as Germany, beer consumption has declined significantly.
In 2025, beer production in the Czech Republic is projected to fall 4.3% to barely 2,000 million liters (440 million gallons).
good news for health
Many representatives of the older generation of Czechs may view this news of decline in beer consumption as a negative development indicating the decline of tradition. But doctors, addiction experts and even some politicians say the development is actually positive.
“Many Czechs still feel that beer is not alcohol, but part of Czech identity,” Tomáš Filip, a former deputy health minister and member of the Czechoslovak People’s Party (KDU-CSL), told DW. For them, it is a good sign that beer consumption has declined from about 160 liters per capita 20 years ago to just above 120 today. “We’re slowly moving away from drinking beer along the lines of ‘the more, the better’ towards a mentality that says it’s OK to drink less or nothing at all – and that’s good news for health and safety reasons.”
Despite the fact that many young Czechs drink less alcohol than their older relatives, alcohol consumption is still high even among teenagers and the risk of addiction remains. “It is very worrying that alcohol serves as a substitute for counseling and support services among young people,” Katerina Duspívova, a senior analyst at the Prague-based Czech Institute for Empirical Research (STEM), told DW. According to the 2024 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), 14% of 16-year-olds in the Czech Republic said they drink alcohol to forget their problems and 11% said they turn to alcohol when they feel depressed.
But among many young Czech people, alcohol is not considered as “cool” as it probably used to be. However, there are other risks for addiction among people who don’t drink at all, Duspivaova said. “Changes in the behavior of young people are also confirmed by the Czech Monitoring Center for Drugs and Addiction (NMC). According to their data, alcohol consumption among the younger generation has declined. But they are more often using new, unregulated substances and instead engage excessively in social media and online gaming.”
“Young Czechs are spending more time in the virtual world, but they still have to grapple with real-world problems,” he said. “And in this area, we have a lot to do. This is also confirmed by data on the mental well-being of individual generations.”
This article was originally written in German.