Drinking patterns, drinking-at-risk, and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic in eight European countries

Our results confirm a downward trend in alcohol consumption in most European countries. The gender gap between male and female high-risk drinkers is narrowing or, in some cases, reversing. In 2022, compared with before the COVID-19 outbreak, the majority of respondents reported drinking the same amount of alcoholic beverages, whereas high-risk drinkers increased the frequency of their drinking.