Excessive alcohol consumption is a major public health concern in the EU, contributing significantly to premature mortality and disability, being a causal factor for various chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, liver cirrhosis and several types of cancer (WHO, 2024[1]). OECD modelling estimates that between 2020 and 2050, alcohol consumption exceeding one drink per day for women and 1.5 drinks per day for men will lead to over 125 000 premature deaths annually in the EU. Between 2020 and 2050, the mortality impact of alcohol consumption is projected to reduce average life expectancy in the EU by one year compared to what it would have been without such consumption. The economic burden of alcohol consumption is also large, with estimates for EU countries for which data are available ranging between 0.4% and 1.5% of GDP (OECD, 2021[2])
Alcohol consumption levels vary considerably across EU countries, with significant differences in drinking patterns. Measured through sales data, overall alcohol consumption averaged 10.0 litres per adult across EU countries in 2022. Latvia and Spain reported the highest consumption at nearly 12 litres per person, followed by Romania, Austria and Czechia. Greece boasted the lowest level of consumption at only 6.3 litres per capita, followed by Sweden, Finland and Italy (Figure 4.8).
The average alcohol consumption in the EU saw a modest decline of 0.3 litres (‑3%) between 2010 and 2022. However, notable changes have occurred in several countries, with nine EU countries reporting a decrease of at least 10% in their average consumption per capita, having achieved the target from the European framework for action on alcohol 2022‑25 of a relative reduction in alcohol per capita consumption of 10% by 2025 compared to 2010 (WHO, 2022[3]). In litres per capita, Lithuania recorded the largest reduction, decreasing by nearly 2.5 litres (‑17%) between 2010 and 2022, reflecting the implementation of stricter alcohol control measures in 2018 (OECD/European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, 2023[4]). Greece, Finland and Croatia also saw significant declines, with reductions of 24%, 22%, and 16% respectively compared to their 2010 levels. In contrast, five EU countries reported an increase of at least 10% in per capita alcohol consumption over the same period. The most notable increases were observed in Latvia, Spain and Romania, which had average consumption levels below the EU average in 2010, but surpassed the EU average by 2022.
Heavy episodic drinking is a particularly harmful pattern of alcohol consumption that remains prevalent in many EU countries. In 2019, nearly one in five adults (19%) reported heavy episodic drinking at least once a month on average across the EU. However, this proportion varied widely, from less than 5% in Italy to more than 30% in Denmark, Romania and Luxembourg. Men were more likely to binge drink than women across the EU, with 27% of men reporting this behaviour compared to 11% of women on average. The gender gap was most pronounced in Lithuania, where the prevalence among men was over four times that of women.
To address the substantial burden of alcohol-related harm, EU countries have implemented various policies and interventions aimed at reducing consumption and promoting responsible drinking. These include taxation, restrictions on availability and advertising regulations. However, the effectiveness of these measures is often limited by inadequate implementation, resource constraints and industry resistance. As part of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the EU has prioritised reducing harmful alcohol consumption, proposing actions such as limiting online advertising, reviewing taxation policies and mandating ingredient labelling and health warnings on alcohol products. In this regard, Ireland has taken a leading role, introducing Minimum Unit Pricing in 2022 and becoming the first country globally to mandate comprehensive health labelling for alcohol products from 2026.
