Beer giant Heineken laying off thousands of staff as Gen Z drinks less alcohol

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Heineken plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs due to declining beer sales, and the company now expects slower profit growth starting in 2026. This follows a trend of falling alcohol consumption worldwide, particularly among younger adults like Gen Z, who are drinking less than previous generations.

Heineken plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 5,000 to 6,000 positions—around 7% of its 87,000 global employees—over the next two years, Reuters reports.

Heineken, the company behind brands like Amstel and Birra Moretti, announced it’s cutting jobs to save money and free up funds for future growth. According to finance director Harold van den Broek, the changes are intended to make the company stronger and allow for continued investment.

Heineken now anticipates profit growth of 2% to 6% by 2026, a decrease from its previous forecast of 4% to 8% for 2025. Overall beer sales dipped by 1.2% in 2025, with declines of 3.4% in Europe and 2.8% in the Americas.

The recent slowdown in sales is part of a larger trend affecting the alcohol industry. People are spending less overall, and drinking habits are changing, especially among younger generations who are choosing to drink less. Growing interest in health and wellness, along with more options for low- and no-alcohol drinks, are also contributing to this shift.

Carlsberg, a competitor to our company, is also reducing its workforce. Similarly, Diageo, a major beverage company, is trying to cut costs as sales decline in some areas of the industry.

Heineken is reorganizing its leadership while it looks for a new chief executive officer. This follows the announcement that Dolf van den Brink will leave his position in May.

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2026-02-11 15:51