Dutch increasingly buying beer in neighboring countries over lower prices

Dutch beer drinkers are increasingly going to neighboring countries to buy their favorite drink because prices in the Netherlands are higher. According to the National Beer Survey 2025, 41 percent of beer drinkers sometimes go abroad specifically to buy beer. The survey also found that non-alcoholic craft beer is continuing its rise in popularity.

The annual survey was conducted by Ruigrok Research & Consultancy on behalf of the Dutch brewers’ association Nederlandse Brouwers. According to the researchers, the increasing cross-border purchases are a direct result of the much higher excise duties in the Netherlands compared to Belgium and Germany.

According to Fred Teeven, chairman of Nederlandse Brouwers, the excise duties are costing Dutch businesses and the treasury money. “Everyone is now familiar with the images of gas stations just across the border in Germany selling not only gasoline, but also beer.”

And it's no longer only the residents of small border towns crossing the border to buy beer, he said. “Today, we can also consider cities like Groningen, Zwolle, Apeldoorn, and even Utrecht part of the border region. Even from these perspectives, it's worthwhile to shop across the border."

According to the brewers’ association, restaurants, hotels, and bars are losing customers as a result of these excise duties and will eventually risk closing down. “We hope the new government will realize that the damage from further increasing the excise duties and VAT is far greater than the additional revenue this should generate,” Teeven said.

The survey showed that beer remains a popular product, with 42 percent of Netherlands residents aged 18 and older regularly having a beer. Pilsner is still by far the most popular, increasingly closely followed by non-alcoholic and craft beer.

Non-alcoholic beer’s popularity has been increasing for years, and 2025 is no different. “Consumers particularly appreciate the improved taste and the wider selection of non-alcoholic beer,” the association said. Two-thirds of consumers consider non-alcoholic beer a good substitute for alcoholic beer, for example, if they have to drive or want to drink less alcohol. A growing group is choosing non-alcoholic beer simply because it tastes good.