An overwhelming majority of Europeans support public policies aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm

The Eurobarometer survey was conducted from 02-19 October 2009 in the form of face-to-face interviews. It focused on three main issues: alcohol consumption, awareness of risk and harm related to the harmful and hazardous use of alcohol, and whether or not the population supports public policies on alcohol.

Alcohol consumption

 76% of EU citizens reported having consumed alcoholic beverages in the past 12 months;
 from a geographic perspective, Denmark (93%), Sweden (90%) and the Netherlands are the countries that reported the highest rate of alcohol consumption;
 49% of respondants said they drink between 1 and 3 times a week but there are important national differences as 43% of Portuguese survey participants reported drinking on a daily basis; while
 the majority (69%) of EU alcohol consumers drink 2 drinks or less when they consume alcohol, 10% will have 5 drinks or even more.

Awareness of risk and harm related to harmful and hazardous use of alcohol

 73% of respondents were not able to give the legal blood alcohol limit for driving that is in force in their country;
 regarding health consequences, while 97% of the respondents were aware of the consequences alcohol consumption can have on the liver, 67% were aware of the cancer risks they are exposed to. However, 10% of the EU population does not believe that alcohol consumption can cause heart disease, congenital malformations and increase the risk of depression.

Support for public policies on alcohol

 A clear majority of respondents are in favour of strenghtening the existing legislation, nationally and Europe-wide, such as a uniform age limit of 18 years for selling and serving alcohol, a decrease in the blood alcohol content authorised for for young and inexperienced drivers, and a increase of police checks on roads. Globally, 43% of respondents supported public authority intervention to protect individuals from harmful and hazardous alcohol consumption;
 77% of respondents think that alcohol advertising targeting young people should be banned across the EU;
 79% think that alcohol warnings should be placed on bottles, and 82% support warnings to appear on advertisments;
 Concerning the introduction of a minimum pricing scheme, there is an increasing recognition of the role of prices with countries such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy and Romania displaying the highest recognition of the influence of price on consumption. Nationally, men, young people, people of the lowest economic status and those who experience the most difficulties to pay their bills are the ones that do recognise that they will decrease their consumption if alcohol prices were to increase by 25%.

EPHA welcomes the recognition of the link between alcohol pricing and consumption and would like to see that the voices of EU citizens asking public authorities to act and protect their health will be heard.

The results of the survey are available here.

For further information:

 European Commission press release on the Eurobarometer survey
 Eurocare press release on the Eurobarometer survey

EPHA related article:

 Eurobarometer report on attitudes towards alcohol
 EU Ban on Alcohol Advertising Needed to Protect Children
 The Social Cost of Alcohol : Passive drinking – Eurocare event
 EPHA Briefing on Minimum Pricing for Alcohol
 First Progress Report on the implementation of the EU 2006 Strategy on Alcohol
 *UPDATED* The ’Alcohol Strategy’: a missed opportunity to protect health?