Heineken: Generation Z frequents bars more often, according to a study conducted in 9 countries
Heineken published on October 20, 2026 a survey conducted in nine European countries among approximately 9,000 adults. According to the brewer, Generation Z (18-29 years old) declared, in each of these markets, visiting bars more frequently than the national average.
Nine European markets and a decline concentrated among millennials
The study, titled "The Future Role of Bars in Europe", covers Austria, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, with approximately 1,000 respondents per country. According to Heineken, 60% to 85% of respondents expect bars to remain important in social life over the next decade, and 83% to 97% believe their community would lose something if they disappeared. The document indicates that the most significant decline in regular bar visits compared to five years ago concerns millennials (30-45 years old). Heineken attributes this less to a disengagement of young people than to constraints linked to life stages, which change the way this age group gets together. The 18-29 year-olds are furthermore, according to the study, more inclined to associate bars with meeting new people and creating social bonds.
An offering expected beyond beverages, technology little in demand
In the nine markets, 62% to 77% of respondents believe that the best bars of tomorrow will need to offer more than beverages: food, music, events, atmosphere and opportunities to spend time together. Technology ranks, according to Heineken, among the least cited priorities. The brewer also notes local differences, from pubs in the United Kingdom and Ireland to outings centered on dining in Spain, to the café-bar culture in parts of Southern Europe. The study is part of the "Praise the Bar" series, dedicated by the group to local bars and bartenders. Heineken clarifies that the results are not weighted: they aim to identify trends and differences between markets, and data by country should be read at the sample level, not as representative estimates of the population.
