Has COVID effected alcohol consumption in Ireland?

Ireland continues to hold a profoundly difficult relationship with alcohol use. As a nation, we blindly dismiss the impact of alcohol on our health and the wellbeing of others. Today, over seven people will die because of alcohol, and annually, it is estimated that over 2,700 people will be lost to alcohol related illness and incident; a pandemic toll every year! Alcohol related inpatient healthcare accounts for 11% (approx. €1.8 billion) of all public healthcare expenditure.

In 2020, our collision with a global pandemic has done little to quell our insatiable craving for alcohol. In normal times, one third of all alcohol use is purchased in the off-trade licenced premises (pubs, clubs, restaurants) however despite that market largely being closed for much of the year, alcohol use only fell by as little as 6%. Wine sales have rocketed with 138 million bottles being consumed while spirit sales saw no change in volume.