Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Irish spend three times EU average on alcohol

Irish people spend almost three and a half times more of their income on alcohol than the European average, an EU-wide survey reveals.

A study on household expenditure across the 27 EU member states highlights how Irish consumers are the biggest spenders in Europe on alcohol by a long distance.

It estimates that more than €4 out of every €100 spent in Ireland is on alcohol compared with the EU average of just €1.20.

The survey, by the EU statistical office, Eurostat, shows that the average Irish household spends 4.1% of its budget on alcohol — well ahead of the nation with the next highest expenditure on booze — Romania at just 2.3%.

The figures are based on 2005 spending patterns, the latest year for which comparative statistics are available.

Health Services Executive public health specialist, Dr Joe Barry, expressed surprise that Irish spending on alcoholic drinks as a percentage of total expenditure was not even higher. The figures look at expenditure by household rather than by adults.

“However, the figures are consistent with other findings that alcohol consumption levels in the Republic are about 30% higher than the EU average,” said Dr Barry.

He pointed out that a survey of Irish third-level students a few years ago showed they spent more on alcohol than food. Dr Barry expressed concern that a strategy to reduce Ireland’s drink culture and associated problems was still not being implemented.

However, the findings indicate that overall spending on alcohol in Ireland is falling as expenditure on alcohol represented 5.5% of total household spend in 2001.

They also show that Irish people spend almost 18% of their budget on food, drink and tobacco and 30.6% on housing. Irish consumers also spend less on groceries, clothing and footwear, housing, health and transport than their European counterparts.

The survey provides evidence that Ireland is one of the EU’s richest economies as we spend more of our income on recreation, leisure, and education than most Europeans. We spend 6% of our income on restaurants and 4.4% on health and education.
__________
source: Irish Examiner

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Abstinence the path to avoid alcoholism

Parents throughout Victoria and Canada are vehemently opposed to their children taking illicit drugs — but what about the most widely used, and deadliest drug of all? There is a killer that lives among us every day — a killer called alcohol. In recent years, it has been common practice for parents to condone underage….

Alcohol link to one in 25 deaths

One in 25 deaths across the world are linked to alcohol consumption, Canadian experts have suggested. Writing in the Lancet, the team from the University of Toronto added that the level of disease linked to drinking affects poorest people the most. Worldwide, average alcohol consumption is around 12 units a week – but in Europe….

Side effects of cancer treatment

Every person is differently affected with the cancer treatment. Depending on various physical factors, some people may experience fewer side effects while some may not experience any side effects at all. However, it is found that most of the patients feel very sick after or during their treatment process. Usually the doctors do tell their….

Finding Help for Prescription Drug Abuse

Prescription drug abuse is no longer a problem that only a certain generation or age group faces; rather it has become an epidemic, touching people of all walks of life. Many of the commonly abused prescription drugs are those that are prescribed for many health issues as well as recovery from those issues. Prescription drug abuse….

Retreat Offers Hope for Indian American Women Alcoholics

Indian American women who are struggling with alcohol dependence, depression or substance abuse face unique challenges, according to a team of recovery professionals who are targeting the community. “Living here in the U.S. is a very major stress,” Arun Jethanandani, M.D., told India-West by phone from the Brookhaven Retreat in eastern Tennessee. “Many women have….