NA Beer Growth Slows

Nonalcoholic beer’s rapid rise is slowing, raising doubts about its staying power in a struggling global beer industry, according to Bloomberg. Once a rare growth area for major brewers like Anheuser-Busch InBev, Heineken, and Diageo, the category now accounts for just 2% of global beer volume. Nonalcoholic beer’s growth has slowed to single digits, with IWSR projecting 8% annual gains through 2029, which will raise its market share to just under 3%. While the U.S. market continues to outperform with expected 16% annual gains, broader momentum is cooling. Companies are investing in better-tasting brews and shifting marketing to casual, stigma-free consumption. Bloomberg Intelligence’s Kenneth Shea said brewers have “no choice” but to pursue alcohol-free options as volume declines, younger consumers drink less, and weight-loss drugs threaten sales.