The Dutch brewer said beer volumes fell 2.1% last year, while revenues dropped 4.7% to €34.3bn.
‘Subdued market’
Operating profit declined 3.2% to €3.4bn, as the company pointed to “subdued market conditions”.
Heineken said the restructuring follows more than €500m in savings delivered last year, but added further action was needed as it adapts to changing consumer behaviour and softer demand.
Shifting attitudes
The update comes amid shifting attitudes towards alcohol, particularly among younger consumers. Recent Health Survey for England data showed 35% of 16 to 24-year-olds did not drink alcohol in 2024, up from 26% in 2022, while 24% of adults now abstain altogether.
Heineken reported only low single digit growth in its zero and low alcohol portfolio overall, although Heineken 0.0 delivered double digit growth in 20 markets.
The announcement follows the news that chief executive Dolf van den Brink will step down in May after more than six years in the role, with the business preparing for a leadership transition as it enters the next phase of its 2030 strategy.
It also comes weeks after The Morning Advertiser (The MA) revealed Heineken UK would increase wholesale draught prices by an average of 2.7% from this month (February 2026), as brewers and operators continue to navigate inflationary pressures and rising costs across the on trade.
While the job cuts are global, the move underscores the wider pressure facing the beer category at a time when UK pubs are already contending with higher labour costs, duty increases and ongoing cost volatility.
