Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Beer Impact: $555bn value added to global GDP; supporting 23.1 million jobs

Beer industry supported 23.1 million jobs and stimulated $555 billion (£410bn) in gross value added contributions to global GDP in 2019, a new study has revealed.

The first-ever worldwide report to assess the beer industry’s global economic impact, authored by Oxford Economics on behalf of the Worldwide Brewing Alliance (WBA), also found that the industry helped generate $262 billion in government tax revenue in the 70 countries studied, which account for 89 per cent of beer sold worldwide.


“This landmark report puts a figure on the scale of our impact on job creation, economic growth and government tax revenue, and across a long, complex value chain, from barley fields to bars and restaurants,” said Justin Kissinger, president and chief execuitve of the WBA.

“The beer sector is a vital engine of the economy,” he added. “The success of the global economic recovery depends on it, and vice versa.”

The report evaluated the beer industry’s global economic impact between 2015 and 2019, including its contributions - direct, indirect, and induced - to global GDP, jobs, and taxes.

“Our findings reveal that brewers are highly productive businesses that help raise average productivity across the entire global economy, meaning they have an extensive economic footprint that can make significant contributions to the recovery,” said Pete Collings, director of economic impact consulting at Oxford Economics.

The sector’s economic significance was found to be even larger in lower- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) than in high income ones (1.6% vs. 0.9% of GDP). In addition, the beer sector supports 1.4 per cent of national employment in LMICs, vs. 1.1 per cent in high income countries.

“Beer matters: for the economy, job creation, and the success of a wide array of actors up and down our value chain,” WBA’s Kissinger concluded. “This deep understanding of our global impact enables the WBA to fully leverage the strength of its sector, its links with industry partners and communities, and to share its vision for a thriving, responsible industry.”

More for you

60 businesses call on Government to allow digital innovation in DRS

60 businesses call on Government to allow digital innovation in DRS

Over 60 businesses have joined Polytag, a technology business specialising in sustainability initiatives, to call upon environment minister Mary Creagh to review Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) legislation. The open letter calls for the removal of “return-to-retail" prescriptions, framing plans in an open way and offering modern, digital solutions that would mean consumers would be able to recycle their plastic bottles at home and still get their deposits back.

The UK is on the brink of implementing a Deposit Return Scheme, a positive step toward a circular economy. But current DRS proposals lean toward a strictly “return-to-retail” model, where consumers would need to store plastic bottles and cans at home and then collect their deposits by using reverse vending machines (RVMs), which are usually only available at large retail locations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Indies boycott Black Friday (again) as costs continue to mount
AFP via Getty Images

Indies boycott Black Friday (again) as costs continue to mount

Seven in ten independent retailers across the UK are boycotting Black Friday this year, as rising operational costs and economic pressures continue to impact small businesses, according to the latest survey from the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira).

The annual survey reveals that 70.5% of independent retailers are refusing to participate in the pre-Christmas sales event, continuing a strong trend of resistance seen over the past four years. In 2021, 85.5 per cent boycotted the event, followed by 86.8 per cent in 2022, and 86.6 per cent in 2023. This year's figures show that while some retailers are testing the waters with Black Friday promotions, the majority remain steadfast in their opposition.

Keep ReadingShow less
Harrison Retail showroom

Harrison Retail unveils showroom exhibiting loss prevention solutions

Harrison Retail, a leading Point of Sale (POS) partner for retailers across the globe, has unveiled its state-of-the-art showroom located in Evesham, exhibiting 15 bespoke POS loss prevention solutions designed to combat opportunistic theft in-store.

Shoplifting and opportunistic theft, costing retailers an estimated £1.8 billion annually (BRC 2024), continue to pose immediate and long-lasting threats to retailers across the globe. Harrison said it recognises the urgency of addressing in-store vulnerabilities by identifying high-risk areas and integrating loss-prevention solutions to safeguard revenue, protect staff and curate a frictionless shopping experience for customers.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco to open 150 new convenience stores
File image of Tesco Express
File image of Tesco Express

Tesco to open 150 new convenience stores

Supermarket Tesco is planning to open 150 new convenience stores across the UK over the next three years as part of a major expansion, creating more than 2,000 jobs in local communities across the country.

The supermarket chain has not confirmed where it plans to open any of these new stores. The supermarket chain announced the plans for its Tesco Express sites last week as it celebrated the 30th anniversary of its convenience store brand. Tesco has over 4,000 supermarket stores overall across the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Manjit Kaur is one of the three women being featured in 'She is PepsiCo' campaign

Manjit Kaur is one of the three women being featured in 'She is PepsiCo' campaign

New PepsiCo campaign celebrates women in supply chain

PepsiCo has launched a new campaign, 'She is PepsiCo', celebrating women in supply chain and operations roles at its UK sites, aiming to inspire more women to pursue frontline roles.

As part of the campaign, portraits of three of its female employees will replace the current design on three trucks used across its distribution network. This will showcase the women’s major roles in bringing much-loved snacks, like Walkers Sensations, Snack A Jacks and Sunbites, to the nation.

Keep ReadingShow less