Summer social occasions in Italy are increasingly linked to informal and local settings, from dinners at home to barbecues, village festivals and local events. This is one of the trends emerging from the second edition of the Observatory promoted by AssoBirra’s Centro Informazione Birra and conducted by Ipsos Doxa, which looks at changing habits and consumption patterns related to beer.
According to the survey, the home, whether one’s own or that of friends and relatives, is now the main setting associated with summer beer consumption in Italy, mentioned by 66% of respondents. Traditional out-of-home consumption remains significant, with restaurants and pizzerias cited by 50% and bars, pubs and beer venues by 47%. Local festivals and village events were mentioned by 39%, alongside other informal occasions such as picnics and barbecues.
The picture that emerges is therefore of consumption becoming less closely associated with holidays or traditional venues alone and increasingly spread across a wider range of everyday occasions. The values associated with beer also reflect this trend, with conviviality and relaxation remaining among the most frequently mentioned aspects.
Low- and no-alcohol beers gain ground
One of the most significant developments in the Italian market concerns low- and no-alcohol beers. According to AssoBirra’s Annual Report 2025, the segment reached a 3.9% market share, up from 2.1% the previous year, recording stronger growth than other categories.
This development is taking place in a market that continues to exceed 21 million hectolitres in overall volumes, but where consumers are showing increasing interest in products suited to different consumption occasions. Low- and no-alcohol beers are therefore gradually being positioned not simply as alternatives to traditional beer, but as an extension of the range for aperitifs, informal breaks and situations in which alcohol content becomes a relevant purchasing factor.
For producers, distributors and Horeca operators in Italy, this shift also means broader assortments and greater attention to the way different product categories are presented. The growth of low- and no-alcohol beers is part of a more diversified market in which both consumption occasions and consumer expectations are evolving.
The role of out-of-home consumption
The growing importance of local and informal consumption occasions does not reduce the role of Horeca, but rather broadens its scope. Alongside traditional venues, local events, festivals and community initiatives are gaining relevance, creating additional opportunities for interaction between producers, distributors and operators.
The Italian market therefore appears to be moving towards a more fragmented and flexible pattern of summer beer consumption, distributed across homes, venues, events and informal occasions, while the product offering itself continues to diversify, particularly in terms of alcohol content.