Germany: Major Changes Within a Tenth

A look at Germany's daily life ten years ago seems to you today to be like a field trip to another world. The data testifies to a very rapid change, for example, in the consumption of beverages, meat, or tobacco, as well as in the use of mobile phones. Consider some examples:

Use of Mobile Phones

Currently 76 percent of German citizens - some 53 million citizens aged 16 and older - use mobile phones with internet connections. In 2015 that figure was 65 percent, and in 2012 only 36 percent. However, the triumphant progress of mobile phones began only in 2007 with the drop of the iPhone.

Beer consumption

According to the German Beer Producers Association ten years ago, the consumption per capita was about 107 liters. In Germany, in 2019, this consumption has been only about 80 gallons [11 L].

1976, however, is said to have been a record year in West Germany with a consumption of 151 liters per capita. The consumption of alcohol-free beer within the total amount of beer rose by about three per cent ten years ago to seven per cent now.

Meat Consumption

There are about eight million vegetarians and 1.3 million vegetarians in Germany. According to ProVeg estimates, they are added every day to about 2,000 vegetarians and 200 vegans. In 2011, according to the former vegetarian association V The EBU in Germany had 6 million vegetarians and about 60,000 vegans.

Smoking

According to various studies, one of which refers, among other things, to a current German government report, the percentage of young people until the age of 15 who smoke has dropped by two thirds in the last ten years.