EU, growing alcohol consumption among young people

There is the consumption classification. According to data released by the Iss (in the April 2024 document), among 18-24 year old males, beer is the most consumed drink (63.3%), along with alcoholic aperitifs (62.3%). Among girls, alcoholic aperitifs are preferred (57.9%), followed by beer (42.8%). "The prevalence of alcoholic aperitif drinkers has increased over the past ten years for both males (+9.5%) and females (+27.5%) compared to 2012. "For young people, there is also an increase compared to 2012 in the prevalence of female consumers of all beverages considered (wine +48.9%; beer +15.2%; bitters +39.1%; super alcohols +23.4%)."

According to the document, a national youth strategy is needed.

"During 2022, 47.6 per cent of boys and 42.1 per cent of girls aged between 11 and 24 consumed at least one alcoholic beverage during the course of the year," it goes on to say. "Moreover, the highest consumption is found among boys for beer (39.5 per cent) and alcoholic aperitifs (38.0 per cent) followed by wine (28.9 per cent). For girls, the prevalence of female consumers of aperitifs (34.5%) is the highest compared to other drinks, followed by the prevalence of female consumers of beer (27.4%) and wine (24.8%). Bitters remain the least popular alcoholic beverage among young people, consumed by 23.3% of boys and 13.3% of girls. "The consumption of alcoholic aperitifs increased significantly when considering boys and girls together".

In Italy, some measures, however, are already in place: since 1 January 2013, the sale of alcohol to minors has been prohibited. Penalties can reach up to EUR 25,000 and can also include the suspension and closure of activities, depending on the case and severity. In addition to controls, there are also awareness-raising campaigns that bring together both educational institutions and voluntary associations that work to inform young people about risks and dangers.

Alcohol represents a deeply rooted element in Czech culture. Not only because of per capita consumption - among the highest in Europe - but also because of the density of local breweries, domestic production and the centrality of drinking in the country's social life. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Ministry of Culture recently listed 'Czech beer culture' as an intangible asset of national heritage.

According to the 2024 data of the National Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction, each Czech citizen consumes an average of 160 litres of alcoholic beverages per year, or 9.4 litres of pure ethanol. Of this total, 47 per cent comes from beer, 29 per cent from spirits and 26 per cent from wine.

Despite a long-term decline, excessive use among young people and adolescents remains high. In 2022, 24 per cent of 11-year-olds, 44 per cent of 13-year-olds and as many as 73 per cent of 15-year-olds had already had some experience with alcohol; about half of them said they had been drinking in the previous month.

Among adults, consumption is also significant. 6-11% drink alcohol daily, with a clear male predominance (11-19% of men against 4-5% of women). 10-13% of adults report binge drinking at least once a week. In total, it is estimated that 15-18% of the population (1.3-1.6 million people) consume alcohol at risk, with 600-900 thousand individuals classified in the harmful consumption bracket.

Among the causes of this phenomenon is a particularly tolerant social culture. 31% of citizens consider regular alcohol consumption acceptable, while only 26% support a ban on alcohol advertising (the figure drops to 13% for wine and beer).

The health impact is considerable: every year alcohol is responsible for 6-7 thousand deaths, or 6% of total mortality (10% among men, 2% among women).

Between 2014 and 2020, daily consumption showed an increase, followed by a decline in 2021. In the last two years, however, the trend has slightly increased again. While male consumption is declining slightly, female consumption is increasing, even in the risk groups (defined as 20-40 grams of pure alcohol per day, approximately two glasses of wine). Among young people (15-19 years), moreover, girls are catching up with their male peers in terms of frequency of consumption.

The consumption of beer - the country's identity symbol - is also declining, due to rising prices and more sober lifestyles. Sales of spirits are also falling, while demand for wine, sparkling wines and cocktails, including non-alcoholic ones, is growing.

The availability of alcohol in the Czech Republic is among the highest in Europe. By law, it is allowed to be sold almost everywhere and at any time: in supermarkets, kiosks, public transport and even petrol stations. While home production of spirits is prohibited, up to 2,000 litres of beer or wine per year can be legally produced at home. There are also craft distilleries where farmers can have small quantities of alcohol distilled from their own fruit.

The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 and provides for restrictions in sensitive places such as schools, health facilities or events for children. Municipalities are allowed to introduce further restrictions through local ordinances.

On the tax side, the government has initiated a plan to gradually increase excise duties: +10% in 2024, a further +10% in 2025 and +5% in 2026. However, data collected as of October 2024 show a revenue shortfall of 300 million kroner compared to the previous year, contradicting expectations of a revenue increase.

In April 2025, more than 20 organisations - including the Czech office of the World Health Organisation and the Medical Association - appealed to the government to strengthen measures against alcohol. Proposals include limiting advertising, regulating times and places of sale, and introducing a tax system based on actual alcohol content. The request was addressed to Prime Minister Petr Fiala, the relevant ministries and the Government Council for Public Health.

*This article is part of the European collaborative journalism project 'Pulse'.