Alcohol consumption in Ireland continues to fall, with 36% reduction over 25 years
As supporting members of the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), Drinks Ireland welcomes the latest DIGI report authored by economist Anthony Foley, Associate Professor Emeritus at Dublin City University. The report highlights a continuing multi-decade downward trajectory in adult alcohol consumption across Ireland, driven by evolving consumer habits and a growing shift toward moderation.
The report reveals that per capita alcohol consumption among Irish adults fell by 2.1% last year to 9.30 litres of pure alcohol (LPA). This continues a sustained long-term trend, with adult per capita consumption declining by 35.6% since its peak in 2001.
Alongside overall volume reductions, consumer tastes across Ireland continue to shift across product categories:
- Beer: Remains the most popular beverage category in Ireland, holding a 42.1% market share despite a 2.7% drop in total volume.
- Wine: Accounts for the second-largest share at 29.4%, following a 4.0% increase in volume. Wine market share in Ireland has more than doubled since 2000 (13.2%).
- Spirits: Represents 22.4% of the market share, posting a minor volume increase of 0.2%.
- Cider: Holds a stable 6.1% market share, experiencing a slight volume dip of 0.2%.
International benchmarking data compiled in the report shows that Ireland's adult alcohol consumption sits firmly within standard European norms. According to OECD tracking across 17 EU member states and the UK, Ireland's recorded level of 9.9 LPA sits just below the unweighted sample average of 10.0 LPA. Ten of the comparative European countries recorded higher average consumption levels than Ireland, underscoring that Irish consumption patterns align closely with wider European trends.
