Apparently Irish people are slowly falling out of love – if you can call it that – with drink. Alcohol consumption in the State is at its lowest level in more than 35 years and is falling year on year. Though the stereotype of the hard-drinking Irish still endures, in reality consumption is now 31 per cent down on its peak in 2001.
It means Ireland is now about the European Union average of 9.8 litres of pure alcohol a year per person over the age of 15.
We’d like to hear from you, drinkers and non-drinkers alike. Do you drink alcohol, and if so, have your drinking habits changed in recent years? If so, or if not, why? Have you noticed a change among your friend groups or in wider society in terms of levels of alcohol consumption?
Alcohol consumption across the western world is decreasing and similar patterns have been observed in the UK, where consumption peaked in 2004 and has been declining since. The research from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland show alcohol consumption dropped below 10 litres of pure alcohol per adult annually for the first time since 1987.
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Some will blame price increases for prompting drinkers to cut back. But booze has never been particularly cheap in Ireland. And besides, the recent research shows a shift among drinkers away from beer and towards wine, generally considered a more upmarket drink.
So price is one thing, but could the health benefits of giving up alcohol be a greater attraction? Is it an age thing – do younger generations drink less (or more)? Or is it the case that spending the weekend outdoors, on a surfboard, on a walk, up a mountain is more enjoyable than spending it in the corner of a dim lounge bar, working your way through endless rounds of pints ?
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