The beer sector is becoming increasingly sustainable

Since 2019, the association Cerveceros de España has set a series of goals linked to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) to be achieved by 2025. These targets are grouped into four main areas: packaging, energy, water, and carbon footprint. Despite the pandemic, the sector is about to reach 80% of beer sold in the hospitality sector in reusable containers.

Within three years, the goal is to achieve zero waste and use 100% renewable energy in production. Currently, only 10% of the thermal energy needed for brewing is generated from renewable sources. At the same time, the sector continues to reduce both the water consumption ratio and the wastewater discharge rate, while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions at production sites.

In terms of packaging, the sector’s environmental commitment in 2021 continued to promote reuse, recycling and litter prevention by encouraging “ecodesign” in packaging and containers. Cerveceros de España, as an active member of Ecovidrio, participates in defining the 2020–2022 3.0 Business Prevention Plan for packaging waste.

In its commitment to domestic raw materials, the beer sector generated up to 6,000 direct jobs in the agricultural industry. Such is its link with the Spanish countryside that last year 532,000 tons of local barley were used to produce malt, according to data from Malteros de España.

As for hops, 570 hectares were cultivated in Spain, making it the sixth-largest producer in the European Union and the tenth worldwide. In 2021, production reached 955 tons of whole-cone hops, most of which went into domestic beers. Castile and León is the autonomous community that grows the most hops, with 95% of the total.

In this regard, Cerveceros de España collaborates with the Quality Hops Operational Group of the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (AEIAGRI). Since 2018 this initiative has brought together 8 working teams from 3 autonomous communities (Castile and León, Galicia and the Basque Country) and aims to promote innovation and enhance the value of hop cultivation in Spain. Without a doubt, a major step forward for domestic brewers.

On the social side, campaigns such as “On the road, alcohol-free beer” encourage the choice of alcohol-free beer, enjoyed by up to 48% of consumers. In fact, sales of alcohol-free beer increased to 2.6 million hectoliters sold. In this way, the sector structures its corporate responsibility around three pillars: environmental respect, local suppliers and the promotion of alcohol-free beer.