Amsterdam-based brewing giant Heineken has unveiled plans to slash up to 6,000 jobs worldwide as it confronts a sustained slowdown in beer consumption that has depressed sales across key markets and reshaped consumer behaviour. The proposed workforce reductions, which amount to nearly 7% of the company’s approximately 87,000 global employees, will play out over the next two years as part of a major restructuring effort intended to reduce costs, bolster productivity and reinvest in future growth.
The job cuts reflect challenges facing one of the world’s largest brewers, which reported a 1.2% decline in total beer volumes in 2025 compared with the prior year. That drop in volume has been most pronounced in its traditionally strong European and North American markets, where consumers are tightening household budgets, drinking less alcohol for health and lifestyle reasons, and increasingly opting for low-alcohol alternatives. The company also cited changing consumer patterns linked to the growing use of weight-loss drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy, which some experts believe are shifting dietary habits.
Heineken’s finance chief, Harold van den Broek, emphasised that the cuts were aimed at strengthening operational efficiency and generating “significant savings” that can be redirected to priority areas. The cuts are expected to touch multiple levels of the organisation, affecting both brewery operations and administrative functions. A portion of the reductions will come from previously announced measures, including supply-network adjustments, consolidation of smaller regional markets, and centralisation of shared services.
The announcement comes at a turbulent time for the company’s leadership. In January, Heineken’s chief executive, Dolf van den Brink, stunned the industry by announcing his resignation after six years in the role. He will step down in May, leaving incoming leadership to navigate the brewer’s transition amid intensifying competitive and economic pressures.
In addition to job cuts, Heineken has revised its profit outlook for 2026, now forecasting operating profit growth of between 2% and 6%, a downgrade from the 4% to 8% range previously guided for 2025. The company still beat analyst expectations with a 4.4% rise in organic operating profit last year but has signalled a more cautious outlook for the year ahead as global beer markets remain soft.
Investors responded positively to the restructure, with Heineken’s share price rising by as much as 4% on the Amsterdam exchange following the announcement, suggesting market approval for cost-cutting measures aimed at protecting margins and long-term competitiveness.
The brewer’s struggle mirrors broader industry trends, with rivals also reporting weaker volumes and implementing cost-saving strategies. Analysts say the shift in consumer behaviour, particularly among younger age groups who are drinking less alcohol than previous generations, is reshaping demand dynamics and forcing legacy beverage firms to rethink growth strategies.
The cuts mark the most significant workforce contraction in Heineken’s recent history and underscore the challenges facing traditional beer producers in an era of rising consumer health consciousness, economic headwinds, and changing social habits. The company has indicated it will continue to explore ways to streamline its operations and innovate its product portfolio to better align with evolving market demands.
