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Poland among EU leaders in falling alcohol consumption

29.09.2026 10:00
Poland is among the European Union countries seeing the sharpest decline in alcohol consumption, according to Eurostat data cited by the newspaper Puls Biznesu.
Poland sees fastest rise in teetotalism in the EU.
Poland sees fastest rise in teetotalism in the EU.Photo: Pixabay Content License/beasternchen (cropped)

Only two other member states saw a bigger rise in the number of people abstaining altogether in 2025.

The survey found that 0.5 percent of Poles report drinking alcohol every day, one of the lowest rates in the EU, behind only Lithuania at 0.4 percent.

Under 3 percent say they drink weekly, 17 percent once a month, and 44.6 percent occasionally.

A further 35 percent report abstaining altogether.

Across the EU as a whole, 5 percent of people drink daily, a fifth weekly, and 33.5 percent had not had an alcoholic beverage in the past year.

Puls Biznesu notes that compared with a previous survey in 2022, the share of frequent drinkers has fallen both in Poland and across the EU.

The proportion of occasional drinkers in the country has risen, from 43.2 percent to 44.6 percent.

The daily notes that the decline is affecting state finances: excise revenue from alcohol fell to PLN 3.9 billion (EUR 890 million) by the end of June, down from PLN 4.5 billion (EUR 1.03 billion) a year earlier.

(ał)

Source: IAR, PAP