Thursday, 2nd April 2026 – Drinkaware, the national independent charity working to prevent and reduce alcohol misuse, released a comparative paper that demonstrates how Irish patterns of consumption have undergone a significant and lasting transformation in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drawing on data from the Drinkaware Barometer (2020–2025), one of Ireland’s most comprehensive and consistent studies on alcohol consumption conducted annually by IPSOS B&A, the findings show that behaviours and patterns of consumption first seen during lockdown have not only persisted, but have become embedded in everyday life.
The research highlights a clear evolution in Ireland’s drinking culture — 55% of adults now say they are most likely to drink at home. They have moved from social, public occasions to more private, habitual patterns at home.
Other key insights include:
- 31% of adults reported drinking at home alone at least once a week compared with just 15% in 2018
- 24% of drinkers engage in binge drinking on a typical day when drinking in past 30 days (up from 20% in 2020)
- 47% of drinkers show a propensity towards hazardous drinking (AUDIT-C Score 5+), rising from 42% in 2020
- 32% of adults report low mental wellbeing, with under-35s most affected. Our data suggests a prolonged impact of the pandemic on mental well-being
- 21% of adults now identify as non-drinkers, including 27% of under-35s. There has been a steady rise in the overall rate of non-drinkers since 2022 (17% in 2022, 18% in 2023, and 18% in 2024)
From Public to Private: A Pandemic Legacy That Has Stuck
What began as a necessity during lockdown has evolved into a lasting cultural shift. Today, more than half of adults who drink do so primarily at home, with nearly one in three adults who drink doing so at home alone at least once a week.
This represents a profound change in Irish alcohol consumption, as habits move from public, social settings to private, home-based routines. However, because the majority of alcohol use now takes place in the home, it is increasingly difficult for drinkers to monitor their alcohol use. Emerging routines of increased consumption in the home that developed during the pandemic may have since become normalised and hidden as well as being potentially hazardous to public health.
Hidden Risks: Binge and Hazardous Drinking Increasing
While overall consumption patterns show some signs of moderation, high-risk drinking behaviours remain persistent and have increased since 2020 in some areas.
Typical binge drinking levels remain persistent, reflecting a pattern that has become established since the onset of COVID-19. In 2020, 20% of adults reported typically engaging in binge drinking when consuming alcohol in the past 30 days. This increased to around 1 in 4 adults over the following years, averaging 25% across the past three years (26% in 2023, 25% in 2024 and 24% in 2025).
While there has been a slight decline of one percentage point in both 2024 and 2025, binge drinking levels remain consistently elevated compared to 2020. It will be important to monitor whether this downward trend continues into 2026 or stabilises at current levels.
As drinking increasingly takes place in private settings, alcohol-related harms may be becoming less visible but more concentrated.
Mental Wellbeing: A Lasting Shift
The findings also reflect broader societal changes since the pandemic, particularly in mental health: 32% of adults reported low mental well-being in 2025, nearly three times the level recorded in 2018 (11%). This suggests that the relationship between alcohol use, stress, and well-being remains an important consideration in understanding current drinking behaviours.
Demographic Trends Highlight Key Patterns
In 2025, significantly lower levels of weekly drinking were reported for women (48%) and 18–24-year-olds who drink (40%). This is the first time significantly lower levels have been observed for both cohorts across the six time points (2020-2025). Alongside this, it’s important to note that among young adults (18-24) who drink, a high number (72%) reported binge drinking at least once in the past 30 days. So, while there is a positive shift towards non-drinking among some younger adults, those who are drinking are still more likely to engage in high-risk patterns. This highlights an important area for targeted public health awareness and support.
Meanwhile, for the same period, the weekly incidence of alcohol consumption was much higher for male drinkers at 64%, a figure that, despite a slight drop from the 2024 peak (67%), represents a 10-point rise since 2020 (57%). In contrast, the female weekly incidence rate returned to its 2020 level of 48%.
The 50+ age cohorts and empty nesters consistently report the highest levels of weekly drinking.
Dearbhla O’Brien, CEO of Drinkaware, said:
“Ireland’s drinking culture is at a crossroads, revealed by a dramatic divergence in several patterns of consumption since the pandemic. We are seeing record progress: weekly drinking is significantly lower for women (48%) and young adults (40%) for the first time in our study. This contrasts sharply with men, where weekly consumption has surged by 10 points to 64%. However, at the same time, we also see that among young adults who do drink, binge drinking remains very high (72%). This divergence highlights a more complex picture of alcohol use in Ireland today
Drinkaware uses these vital Barometer insights to deliver evidence-led education. By understanding this evolving landscape—from private, routine drinking to a growing trend of moderation—we can better support all adults in making positive, informed choices, particularly around at-home socialising.”
A Cultural Shift in the Making
The comparison between 2020 and 2025 shows a lasting change in Ireland’s drinking culture. The shift is from a single dominant culture to a more nuanced, divided landscape, moving away from visible social drinking towards more hidden, at-home behaviours, and from habitual norms to greater individual choice.
While overall consumption has declined, persistent patterns of binge drinking, also noted by Healthy Ireland research*, remain a serious concern since COVID-19. As these trends develop, Drinkaware’s Barometer is a vital tool for understanding how Irish adults engage with alcohol, with its focus on patterns of consumption being fundamental to identifying groups at risk of alcohol harm.
To read Drinkaware’s comparison white paper, please visit www.drinkaware.ie/research.
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ciara O’Driscoll | Etch Communications | ciara@etchcomms.ie | 087 689 3600
Sarah Kate Spratt | Etch Communications | sarahkate@etchcomms.ie | 089 611 5041
Notes to Editor:
About Drinkaware: Drinkaware is a national charity working to prevent and reduce alcohol misuse in Ireland. It is governed by an independent board and regulated by the Charities Regulator. Registered Charity Number: 20204601
For more information on research projects and publications, visit www.drinkaware.ie/research.
Research: The Drinkaware Barometer is a nationally representative annual survey of adults in Ireland that tracks alcohol consumption behaviours, attitudes, and trends over time.
*https://www.gov.ie/en/healthy-ireland/publications/healthy-ireland-survey-2025/