Alcohol consumption in the European Union remained relatively infrequent for a large share of the population in 2025, although drinking habits varied considerably by age, gender and
economic circumstances, according to new figures from Eurostat.
Among EU residents aged 16 and over, 4.8% reported drinking alcohol every day in 2025. A further 19.2% consumed alcohol weekly, while 21.8% drank monthly.
The figures also show that regular alcohol consumption was not the norm for most Europeans. Around 20.7% said they drank less often than once a month, while 33.5% either had never consumed alcohol or had not consumed it during the previous year.
Men reported substantially more frequent drinking
A clear gender difference emerged in the data. Men were considerably more likely than women to report drinking alcohol regularly.
In 2025, 56.5% of men aged 16 and over consumed alcohol at least once a month, compared with 35.9% of women.
The difference was also reflected in daily drinking, although the Eurostat figures indicate that the frequency of consumption varied substantially across demographic groups.
Daily drinking rises sharply with age
Age was another major factor associated with drinking frequency. The proportion of people consuming alcohol every day increased steadily among older age groups.
Only 0.8% of people aged 16 to 24 reported daily alcohol consumption in 2025. The proportion rose with age, reaching 8.9% among people aged 65 and over.
The figures therefore point to markedly different drinking patterns between younger and older generations, with daily consumption considerably more common among older Europeans.
Lower consumption among people at risk of poverty
Economic circumstances were also associated with reported alcohol consumption. People considered to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion were less likely to consume alcohol than those who were not in this category.
Almost half — 47.5% — of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion had either never consumed alcohol or had not consumed it during the previous year. Among people not facing this risk, the corresponding figure was 29.9%.
Eurostat's figures describe differences in reported consumption patterns and do not, by themselves, establish a causal relationship between income, social exclusion and alcohol consumption.
The data form part of Eurostat's Key figures on European living conditions – 2026 edition, which examines living standards and social conditions across the EU, including the circumstances of vulnerable groups. The statistics are based on the EU's 2025 data on household and individual living conditions.
