Between January and August 2025, the collections Excise taxes applied to alcohol and tobacco registered a drop of -0.3%, totaling 21,263.3 million pesos. This represents a negative absolute variation of 61.1 million pesos compared to the same period of the previous year, according to data from the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII).
In that same period, imports of alcoholic beverages They totaled 52.67 million liters, which represents a decrease of -7.98% compared to the first eight months of 2024. 69.67% of the imported volume corresponds to three main categories: beer, wine and ethyl alcohol.
The last quarter of the year is traditionally a period of high consumption in the country, driven by Christmas and New Year festivities. In this season, many people include alcoholic beverages in your usual purchases, whether for family, social or business celebrations.
Beer and wine domain
Imports of alcoholic beverages in the Dominican Republic have shown a fluctuating trend in recent years, marked by the impact of the pandemic, the recovery of consumption and variations in household purchasing power.
According to reports from the General Directorate of Customs (DGA), in 2019 the country imported 57.02 million liters of alcoholic beveragesa growth of 16.76% compared to 2018. In that year, beer and wine concentrated more than two-thirds of the total imported, equivalent to 68.06%.
During 2021, the market experienced a strong rebound after the economic reopening after the pandemic, with an increase of 96.21% in the imported volume, totaling 96.44 million liters. In that period, beer, wine and whiskey dominated international purchases, representing 81.97% of the total.
The boom moderated in 2022, when imports They grew just 0.55%, reaching 96.97 million liters. Although the expansion was minimal, the consumption structure was maintained: beer, wine and whiskey They concentrated 75.95% of imports, reflecting the preference of the Dominican consumer for these three categories.
- In 2023, however, the panorama changed. Imports fell 12.88%, standing at 84.74 million liters. Factors like inflationhigher logistics costs and the economic slowdown affected the flow of imported beverages. Even so, beer, wine and whiskey continued to be the most in-demand products, with 69.88% of the total.
The most recent report of the DGA indicates that by 2024, imports resumed a positive pace, with a slight growth of 2.31%, adding 86.70 million liters. This rebound was accompanied by a slight variation in the composition: beer, wine and ethyl alcohol began to represent 71.93% of the total imported, evidencing a growing interest in inputs for the local production of beverages.
General trend
In the balance of the last six years, the country shows a stable marketbut sensitive to global economic conditions. Even with the variations, the import structure remains concentrated in three large groups—beer, wine and spirits—that reflect both the local consumption culture and the importance of celebrations and tourism in the demand for alcoholic beverages.
The rebound observed in 2024 suggests a gradual recovery of consumption and an adaptation of the sector to new dynamics, with a greater weight of intermediate products such as ethyl alcohol, used in the production of national beverages.
If this trend continues, imports could stabilize at around 87 million liters annually, consolidating the country as one of the main alcohol consumption markets in the Caribbean.
