Europeans, whose drinking habits are among the highest in the world, are putting their health at risk, but governments are no longer using taxes to help curb consumption, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
Beer has become more affordable in 11 EU countries since 2022, and less affordable in six, the WHO said in a report published yesterday. A similar but even more pronounced trend was recorded for spirits, which became more affordable in 17 EU countries and less affordable in two. As for wine, it is not taxed at all in 14 EU countries, including major producers Italy and Spain, the report said.
The EU is home to seven of the 10 countries with the highest per capita alcohol consumption in the world, with Romania, Latvia and the Czech Republic among the top drinkers. Alcohol is a major risk factor for cancer, with the risk increasing with increasing consumption.
It is also linked to a wide range of illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and depression, which further burdens already overstretched healthcare systems.
The WHO said governments should aim to reduce alcohol consumption to protect people from its harmful effects. Raising the price of alcoholic beverages through taxes is one of the most effective measures governments can take, the WHO said. However, some EU countries have minimal or no taxes on certain types of alcohol.
“More accessible alcohol fuels violence, injury and disease,” said Etienne Krug, director of WHO’s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention. “While the industry makes a profit, the public often bears the health consequences and society bears the economic costs.”
In a separate report, the WHO said that sugary drinks have also become more affordable in 13 EU countries since 2022, according to data published in another report by the organization. A diet high in sugar has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease and certain cancers.
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