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

Understanding the Disease Model of Addiction

The disease model of addiction expresses that addiction is a brain disease. A brain disease which only gets worse as it progresses through various stages. The disease of addiction has no cure, but it can be treated. The answer to treatment is medical intervention (using medication-assisted treatment), abstinence (completely staying away from drugs) and sustained….

Drug Treatment Center Facts

Various myths surround drug treatment center news and information but do you know the facts? If you are considering drug treatment for yourself or a loved one then you have got to know the facts associated with drug treatment centers to assure that you understand both what you are getting into as well as what….

Alcohol abuse among German youths more than sobering

Recent cases of teen and even child alcohol binges are indications of increasing abuse by younger Germans, as an alarming new report published by a German health insurance company reveals. Just last week, three children aged 11, 12 and 13 were found passed out at a playground in the city of Paderborn after drinking vodka…..

Driving After Binge Drinking More Common Than Believed

Nearly one in eight binge drinkers say they get behind the wheel and drive within two hours of drinking, U.S. government researchers report. The new research adds a timeline and other new information to what’s known about drinking and driving, said study author Dr. Timothy Naimi, a physician with the alcohol team at the U.S…..

Long-term drinking effects overlooked

College for many is a four-year opportunity to party without real-world responsibilities. Others are more diligent students with extracurriculars and such, but it’s safe to say that most college students have been stung by the short-term effects of one-too-many shots of vodka or Solo cups full of mysterious “Jungle Juice.” It’s a familiar scene in….