Ireland kept on drinking during Covid — unlike most European states, where consumption fell

Pre-pandemic, a third of Ireland's drinking happened in bars and restaurants. When they shut, Irish intake only fell by 6% as we brought our drinking habit home, bucking the trend across most European countries.

Ireland and the UK were outliers in Europe during the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic when alcohol consumption declined in the majority of 21 countries surveyed, a new study has found.

The research by the European Study Group on Alcohol use and Covid-19 found that while alcohol consumption fell in 19 European countries between April and July last year, consumption levels remained stable in Ireland and increased in the UK.

The study was based on an online survey of 30,000 drinkers, including around 500 Irish respondents.

Alcohol consumption fell across most of Europe

The reduced availability of alcohol and ability to attend events and gatherings, such as family celebrations, concerts, and parties, due to Covid-19 restrictions were the main reasons for the fall in alcohol consumption in most European countries, the researchers concluded.

They also suggest that a high level of Covid-related distress and the “wider adoption of alcohol as a coping strategy” may have accounted for the different pattern of alcohol use observed in Ireland and the UK.

'Despite our concerns for our futures or that the traditional avenues for consuming alcohol were closed ... we carried on regardless,' said Eunan McKinney of Alcohol Action Ireland. Picture: Jason Clarke

Alcohol Action Ireland, which was a partner on the European study, said it was not surprised by the findings and that alcohol consumption simply moved into people’s homes when licenced premises closed during Covid restrictions.

Ireland kept drinking despite pub closures

Head of communications and advocacy with Alcohol Action Ireland, Eunan McKinney, said alcohol consumption in Ireland fell by just 6% last year despite the fact that pubs, restaurants, and hotels, which account for one-third of all alcohol consumed, were closed for 40 weeks.

“The study shows that people simply shifted what was significant alcohol behaviour in licenced premises to their homes,” Mr McKinney said.

This continues to demonstrate our devotion to alcohol. Despite everything — despite our concerns for our futures or that the traditional avenues for consuming alcohol were closed, despite all of that — we carried on regardless.

He said the findings also show that alcohol is used as a “fallback” when faced with stress or challenges despite the fact that it doesn’t offer comfort and acts as a depressant: 

We live in a country where alcohol is our go-to mechanism for coping with stress in many ways. 

Mr McKinney said the pandemic may lead to more permanent lifestyle changes, such as drinking at home, while also harming others, including 200,000 children who are impacted by their parents' drinking.

“Our concern is that there will be an increase in demand for alcohol treatment services and an increase in demand for child psychology services, both of which are already chronically underfunded,” Mr McKinney said.

While measures such as minimum unit pricing for alcohol — due to come into effect in January next year — were welcome, Mr McKinney said more needs to be done.

Several elements of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act have yet to come into effect, he said, such as further restricting the promotion and advertising of alcohol and introducing health warnings on alcohol products, similar to those carried on cigarette packets.

Changes in public health policy on tobacco use, he said, had reduced the proportion of smokers from 45% in the 1970s to a current level of around 16%.

Around 3,000 people die every year from alcohol-related harm in Ireland.