New Revenue data has revealed a fall in alcohol consumption in Ireland.
Details
A statement announcing the news said, "New data from the Revenue Commissioners shows alcohol consumption in Ireland has fallen again, with sales of beer and cider particularly impacted by the closing of and ongoing restrictions in pubs, restaurants and bars, in towns and cities throughout the country. Every category of alcohol has seen a fall in sales since before the pandemic, with total sales down by over 10% in the last two years.
"The data shows that for the first nine months of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020;
- "Beer sales are down 3.6%
- "Spirits sales are up 0.4%
- "Wine sales are down 13.0%
- "Cider sales are down 11.8%
- "Total alcohol sales are down 6.4%
"The comparison between the first nine months of 2021 and the same period in 2019, before the pandemic hit, are even starker;
- "Beer sales are down 17.8%
- "Spirits sales are down 0.8%
- "Wine sales are down 1.4%
- "Cider sales are down 20.3%
- "Total alcohol sales are down 10.4%".
Drinks Ireland Director Statement
Drinks Ireland Director Patricia Callan stated, "This data shows the long-term trend in falling alcohol consumption continuing, but that fall has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the shuttering of and ongoing restrictions on the hospitality sector. Having endured the strictest lockdown in Europe, it is hardly surprising to see this dramatic fall. The fall is even more dramatic in the context of alarmist and erroneous claims at various times in the last two years that alcohol consumption was rising or even soaring - it simply was not."
© 2021 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
