Irish Alcohol Consumption Declines; Industry Calls for 10% Tax Cut

Significant Shift in Irish Drinking Habits: Per Capita Alcohol Consumption Plummets Over a Third from Historical Peak

According to the latest annual report released by Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), Ireland's overall national alcohol consumption last year decreased by more than a third compared to its historical peak in 2001. This research data is primarily derived from population and migration estimates by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of Ireland, as well as alcohol clearance data from the tax authorities, reflecting significant shifts in local social drinking habits in recent years.

The survey indicates that last year, the average pure alcohol consumption per adult in Ireland was 9.30 liters, a slight decrease of 2.1% from the previous year, and a sharp decline of 35.6% compared to 2001. Among various alcoholic beverages, beer led with a 42.1% market share, wine ranked second with 20.94%, and spirits accounted for 22.4% with a slight volume increase of 0.2%. DIGI believes these figures prove that Irish consumers are gradually developing habits of rational and moderate drinking, and are no longer an exception to Europe's high alcohol consumption trends.

Heavy Alcohol Tax Burden Prompting Industry to Push for 10% Cut

With per-capita consumption having fallen to the EU average, DIGI is actively lobbying the government to reduce alcohol excise duty by 10% in the upcoming Irish budget. A DIGI spokesperson pointed out that Irish consumers currently bear exceptionally harsh and unfair excise tax rates within the EU, second only to Finland, while the tax rate for spirits ranks third in the EU.

Donall O'Keefe, Chief Executive of the Licensed Vintners Association and Secretary of DIGI, emphasized that excessively high tax rates pose a heavy burden on consumers and struggling small family-run pubs and restaurants during periods of economic volatility, while also weakening the competitiveness of local tourism and hospitality. He called on the government to recognize the importance of pubs to local communities and alleviate operational pressures on small hospitality businesses through tax cuts to help them weather the crisis.

📅 Publish Date: 2026-07-27

🔗 Source: https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2026/07/alcohol-consumption-in-ireland-falls-in-2025/