Press Release

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) released the Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) for August 2025.

The August 2025 BPI fell to 27 from the August 2024 reading of 40. A relatively slower summer selling season in 2025 compared to 2024 means distributors are entering the fall with relatively higher inventories and will likely purchase less from their suppliers.

NBWA’s BPI metric reflects distributors’ expected current orders to suppliers to meet expected demand for the coming months; it does not measure sales to consumers.

The contractionary (<50) reading for the August BPI continues a trend from the past three years. Combined with an increase in the at-risk inventory measure to the benchmark (50), these readings signal a shift to a contractionary outlook for the beer market.

Looking across the segments for August:

• The imports index at 43 is 12 points lower than August 2024
• The craft index at 14 is nine points lower than August 2024
• The premium lights index at 36 is two points lower than August 2024
• The premium regular index at 34 is five points lower than August 2024
• The below premium index at 35 is ten points lower than August 2024
• The FMB/seltzer index at 39 is three points above August 2024
• The cider segment at 39 is nine points above August 2024.

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The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) represents America’s 3,000 independent beer distributors who service every state, congressional district and media market across the country. Licensed at the federal and state levels, beer distributors get bottles, cans, cases and kegs from a brewer or importer to stores, restaurants and other licensed retail accounts through a transparent and accountable regulatory system.

Distributors build brands of all sizes – from familiar domestic beers to new startup labels and imports from around the world – and generate enormous consumer choice while supporting more than 135,000 quality jobs in their home communities. Beer distributors work locally to keep communities safe by sponsoring programs to promote responsible consumption, combat drunk driving and reduce underage drinking.