Name: Who are the heaviest drinkers in the EU?
Uploaded: 2025-11-26T19:08:46.107Z
Duration: 1 min 30 s
Description: Most EU countries drank less between 2013 and 2023, but Portugal, Spain and Romania bucked the trend, with per-capita alcohol use climbing by two litres or more.

Most EU countries drank less between 2013 and 2023, but Portugal, Spain and Romania bucked the trend, with per-capita alcohol use climbing by two litres or more.

A new analysis of alcohol consumption in the European Union reveals significant differences between member states. In 2023, the average annual alcohol consumption per capita across OECD countries was 8.5 litres of pure alcohol, with Greece recording the lowest rate among EU countries at 6.6 litres, while Romania, Portugal, and Latvia exceeded 11.5 litres.

Over the past decade, most countries have seen a decline in alcohol consumption, with Belgium and Lithuania experiencing the largest decreases. However, Portugal, Spain, and Romania reported notable increases. The report also notes a slight rise in alcohol use among 11-year-olds and highlights regulatory efforts to address underage drinking.

Who are the heaviest drinkers in the EU?

Who are the heaviest drinkers in the EU? Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including liver and breast cancer. In 2023, annual alcohol consumption per capita reached an average of 8.5 litres of pure alcohol across OECD countries. Six EU countries recorded consumptions below the average, with Greece reporting the lowest amount at 6.6 litres per capita. By contrast, Romania, Portugal and Latvia had the highest consumption, reaching over 11.5 litres annually. Over the past decade, most countries have seen a decrease in alcohol consumption. Between 2013 and 2023, Belgium and Lithuania reported the largest declines in alcohol consumption, with reductions of 2.5 litres or more. On the other hand, the largest increases were recorded in Portugal, Spain and Romania, where yearly alcohol consumption per capita rose by 2 litres or more over the same period. Across OECD countries, the share of 11-year-olds who drink alcohol increased slightly from 4 to 5% on average between 2018 and 2022. Out of 25 EU countries, there was a higher share of boys and girls reporting to being drunk more than once in their lives. To address underage drinking, many countries have adopted regulatory and preventive strategies aimed at limiting the availability of alcohol and restricting its marketing.

U.S. President Donald Trump says Sarah Beckstrom, one of the National Guard members shot in Washington, has died and the other, Andrew Wolfe, is fighting for his life. The suspect in the shooting, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is in 'serious condition.'

Washington

Trump says one National Guardsman has died after Washington shooting

Video has emerged of two Palestinian men surrendering to the Israeli military with their hands up, before being shot dead in Jenin.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Two unarmed Palestinians killed in Jenin by Israeli military

Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe were wounded in a shooting that the FBI is investigating as ‘terrorism’.

National Guard members shot in Washington, DC, attack identified

The Russian president reiterated his maximalist demands over occupied areas of Ukraine, and insisted Moscow has no plans of slowing down its full-scale invasion or even negotiating with Kyiv.

Kyiv

Putin demands Kyiv withdraw from Eastern Ukraine

The suspect in the shooting of two National Guard members led a team in the Afghanistan war and worked with U.S. and British forces, according to a former Afghan commando colleague. A DHS official says he was granted asylum earlier this year on humanitarian grounds.

West Virginia

Suspect in National Guard shooting granted asylum earlier this year

Firefighting and rescue missions continued into Thursday for a second day after a massive fire broke out in Hong Kong, gripping a complex of seven high-rise residential buildings. At least 55 people were killed and dozens more were injured in what is the worst fire to hit the territory in decades.

Tai Po District

Death toll rises to 55 as blaze rips through Hong Kong tower complex

A Peruvian court on Wednesday (November 26) sentenced former President Martin Vizcarra to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty of taking bribes years before he took office, adding to a list of former leaders jailed for corruption.

Lima

Peru sentences ex-President Vizcarra to prison for corruption

Two National Guard members were shot dead near the White House in Washington D.C. A suspect was taken to hospital with injuries related to a gunshot.

Two National Guardsmen in critical condition after Washington shooting

A suspect is in custody and the scene is secured after a shooting mere blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C., police said Wednesday. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said two National Guardsmen had been shot.

Suspect in custody after National Guardsmen shot in Washington, D.C.

Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a failed coup, after he exhausted all appeals.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil's Bolsonaro begins 27-year jail term for coup bid

Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 25) ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin a prison sentence of more than 27 years for plotting a coup in 2022, according to a court document.

Brasília

Brazil's Bolsonaro to start 27-year prison sentence for coup plot

President Trump says only a few "points of disagreement" remain on a possible deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The president says he will meet with the leaders of both countries only when the deal is in its final stages.

Trump optimistic on Russia-Ukraine peace deal despite recent strikes

The FBI has launched an inquiry into six Democratic lawmakers after President Trump accused them of “seditious behavior” for appearing in a video encouraging U.S. service members to refuse unlawful orders.

FBI probes Democrats over video urging troops to refuse illegal orders

President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by designating the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. But the entity that the U.S. government alleges is led by Maduro is not a cartel per se.

Caracas

U.S. labels Maduro-tied Cartel de los Soles as terror organization

The head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said late on Monday (November 24) that his paramilitaries would immediately enter into a three-month humanitarian truce in its conflict with the country's armed forces.

Khartoum

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into ceasefire

A U.S. official tells CBS News that Ukraine has agreed to a peace proposal brokered by the Trump administration, but some details still need to be sorted out. CBS News' Holly Williams reports.

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine agrees to peace proposal with Russia, U.S. official says

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization to distribute aid in Gaza, said on Monday (November 24) it was ending its operations after months of criticism over the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach GHF hubs.

Divisive U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza aid group ends operations

Darfur

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into a ceasefire

Chauncey Billups, who was serving as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers until his suspension, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges related to alleged rigged high-stakes poker games.

Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty to charges

The Kremlin on Monday (November 24) said that a European counter-proposal to a U.S. 28-point peace plan for Ukraine was not constructive and that it simply did not work for Moscow.

Moscow

Kremlin rejects revised European peace plan to end war in Ukraine

A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on the grounds that Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. attorney who secured their indictments, was unlawfully appointed to the role.

Cases against James Comey, Letitia James dismissed

At least 90 people have died in a week of torrential rain, flooding and landslides in south-central Vietnam, authorities said. Popular tourist areas have been heavily hit, with parts of Nha Trang submerged and deadly landslides cutting off roads near Da Lat.

Nha Trang

Vietnam flooding kills at least 90

The Trump Administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela as the Air Force conducted a simulated nighttime attack along the country's coast. Charlie D'Agata has the latest.

Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuela with nighttime Air Force attack

Israel killed Ali Tabtabai, the acting chief of staff of militant group Hezbollah, in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on Sunday, the Israeli military said.

Beirut

Middle East Conflict

Israel kills Hezbollah military leader in Beirut strike

While Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange daily drone fire, an updated peace framework is being worked out in Geneva between Ukraine, the US and European partners.

Ukraine upholds red lines as Geneva peace talks continue

Álvaro García Ortiz's decision came less than a week after he received a two-year suspension and a fine for disclosing private information about the partner of an opposition politician.

Madrid

Spain's attorney general resigns after conviction over data leak

U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has been disbanded with eight months remaining in its mandate, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor has told Reuters that the cost-cutting body now "doesn't exist".

DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter

Al-Burhan rejected a new truce proposal from US envoy as the “worst yet”, accusing the Quad mediators of bias due to the UAE’s involvement.

Al Fashir

Sudan’s army chief rejects quad truce proposal as ‘worst yet’

Three suicide bombers and three security personnel killed in attack on the Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, media reports say.

Peshawar

Six killed in suicide attack on security complex in Pakistan

The attack which Israel says to have killed chief of staff Haytham Tabtabai in the southern suburbs of Beirut also killed four other people and injured 25.

Breakdown