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IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
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European Commission

SPECIAL EUROBAROMETER 331

 

EU citizens’ attitudes towards alcohol

Fieldwork: October 2009

Publication: April 2010

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb_special_en.htm#331

or

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_331_en.pdf

[full-text, 129 pages]

 

Alcohol consumption in the EU is at a similar level to four years ago. Binge drinking (five drinks or more on any one occasion) affects all ages but young people aged 15-24 years are the most likely to binge drink every week. This puts them at a greater risk of adverse effects related to intoxication. Those aged 55 years or more are far more likely than young people to drink daily. This could lead to an increased risk of chronic diseases in an ageing population. The majority of Europeans consider driving under the influence of alcohol to be risky but 14% would drive after more than two drinks in two hours. Such an amount would result in a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit in most EU countries. Awareness of specific health risks varies. There is high awareness that harmful alcohol consumption is linked to liver diseases but low awareness that it also causes cancer. There is wide support for specific measures to reduce alcohol-related harm.

 

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................4

1. ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION ..........................................................................11

1.1 Prevalence of alcohol consumption.................................................. 11

1.2 Consumption of alcohol in the past 30 days..................................... 14

1.3 Frequency of drinking in the past 30 days ....................................... 18

1.4 Consumption levels.......................................................................... 21

1.5 Frequency of binge drinking ............................................................ 25

1.6 Gender differences in alcohol consumption patterns ....................... 29

2. AWARENESS OF RISK AND HARM ..............................................................31

2.1 Drinking and driving ........................................................................ 31

2.1.1 Awareness of BAC limits ................................................................ 31

2.1.2 Perceptions of risk ........................................................................ 37

2.2 Health harm..................................................................................... 41

2.3 Social harm...................................................................................... 49

3. SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC POLICIES ON ALCOHOL..........................................51

3.1 Individual versus public responsibility............................................. 51

3.2 Price level and purchasing behaviour .............................................. 54

3.3 Drink-driving countermeasures ....................................................... 61

3.4 Measures to protect young people ................................................... 65

CONCLUSIONS...............................................................................................73

ANNEXES

Technical specifications

Questionnaire

Tables

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Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
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