Despite accounting for around a tenth of the global population, Europe is responsible for 25% of the world’s annual alcohol consumption, with new research analysing which European countries have the strongest drinking culture.
The research, undertaken by Casinova, analysed alcohol consumption per capita, prevalence of alcohol use disorders, bar/pub density in capital cities, and average beer/wine prices across 26 European nations, with each country then given an overall score – the Alcohol Consumption Score – to highlight the countries in which alcohol plays the most prominent social role.
Leading the way
Latvia tops the list, with an Alcohol Consumption Score of 100, due to its high alcohol consumption rate and moderate pricing, alongside a 3.4% rate of alcohol use disorders.
In second, Poland, with a score of 87.3, combines relatively high consumption with some of the lowest alcohol prices in Europe; while third-placed France (87.2), boasts a strong drinking culture and a dense network of bars in the capital, Paris.
The Czech Republic, home to Europe’s cheapest beer, ranks fourth with a score of 86.0, with 11.6 litres of alcohol consumed per capita; while in fifth, Lithuania (85.4) is just behind Czechia in terms of alcohol consumption (11.3 litres) per capita, and boasts a strong drinking culture in the capital, Vilnius.
The remainder of the top ten includes Austria (84.4), Estonia (80.7), Slovakia (77.4), Belgium (77.4) and Slovenia (75.9). The UK and Ireland, despite having a strong bar culture, rank 14th and 19th, respectively.
Eastern Europe
“The data reveals a geographic pattern where post-Soviet and former Eastern Bloc countries consistently outrank Western Europe in alcohol consumption,” commented a Casinova spokesperson.
“What’s also noteworthy is how countries like Latvia and Estonia maintain high consumption rates while keeping alcohol use disorder prevalence relatively stable. Another finding that stands out is the considerable price variation across Europe – countries like the Czech Republic offer beer at €2.41 while those in the West or North may charge double or triple. These highlight how cultural, historical, and economic factors can shape Europe’s diverse drinking cultures.” Read more here.
What European countries consume the most alcohol?
| Country | Alcohol Consumption (litres per capita) |
Domestic Beer Price (€) |
Bottle of Wine Price (€) |
Alcohol Use Disorder Population (%) |
Bars/Pubs in Capital | City Size (km²) |
Bars/Pub Density (per 100m²) |
Alcohol Consumption Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latvia | 12.6 | 5.00 | 7.50 | 3.4% | 62 | 125 | 0 | 100.0 |
| Poland | 10.8 | 3.54 | 5.89 | 3.9% | 80 | 199 | 0 | 87.3 |
| France | 10.4 | 7.00 | 8.00 | 2.3% | 332 | 41 | 8 | 87.2 |
| Czech Republic | 11.6 | 2.41 | 6.02 | 2.9% | 262 | 191.59 | 1 | 86.0 |
| Lithuania | 11.3 | 4.50 | 9.00 | 3.1% | 120 | 97 | 1 | 85.4 |
| Austria | 11.2 | 5.00 | 6.00 | 3.1% | 143 | 160.1 | 1 | 84.4 |
| Estonia | 11.1 | 5.50 | 9.00 | 2.9% | 48 | 61.5 | 1 | 80.7 |
| Slovakia | 10.5 | 2.50 | 6.00 | 2.9% | 67 | 42 | 2 | 77.4 |
| Belgium | 8.4 | 5.90 | 8.00 | 2.7% | 130 | 12.78 | 10 | 77.4 |
| Slovenia | 9.8 | 3.40 | 6.00 | 3.6% | 41 | 63 | 1 | 75.9 |
| Denmark | 9.3 | 8.04 | 9.38 | 3.4% | 60 | 34 | 2 | 71.2 |
| Hungary | 10.2 | 2.48 | 4.96 | 2.9% | 206 | 203 | 1 | 71.2 |
| Romania | 10.6 | 2.76 | 5.91 | 2.5% | 92 | 88 | 1 | 70.2 |
| United Kingdom | 9.8 | 7.12 | 10.68 | 3.1% | 644 | 607 | 1 | 69.5 |
| Bulgaria | 11.1 | 2.56 | 6.13 | 2.1% | 73 | 519 | 0 | 67.3 |
| Germany | 10.7 | 4.50 | 6.00 | 2.4% | 152 | 344 | 0 | 66.9 |
| Croatia | 9.0 | 3.20 | 6.00 | 3.0% | 55 | 21.85 | 3 | 65.9 |
| Portugal | 8.6 | 3.00 | 5.00 | 3.3% | 132 | 39 | 3 | 65.5 |
| Ireland | 7.5 | 7.00 | 12.00 | 3.2% | 120 | 45.5 | 3 | 52.5 |
| Finland | 8.3 | 7.50 | 14.00 | 2.5% | 65 | 72.2 | 1 | 45.8 |
| Spain | 8.8 | 3.50 | 6.00 | 1.6% | 306 | 233 | 1 | 39.5 |
| Sweden | 7.5 | 6.44 | 11.03 | 2.3% | 94 | 188 | 1 | 34.7 |
| Netherlands | 7.7 | 6.00 | 6.64 | 1.8% | 139 | 84 | 2 | 33.5 |
| Norway | 7.2 | 10.32 | 17.28 | 1.7% | 40 | 175 | 0 | 20.7 |
| Italy | 6.6 | 6.00 | 5.25 | 1.6% | 431 | 496.1 | 1 | 16.1 |
| Greece | 5.3 | 5.00 | 9.00 | 1.5% | 218 | 159 | 1 | 1.0 |
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