Alcohol Consumption Statistics 2026: Key Facts, Trends & Charts

Page updated: June 2026 · Data year: 2026 · Source: World Bank, Eurostat

This page compiles the most important alcohol consumption statistics for 2026 worldwide. Data is sourced from the World Bank, Eurostat, and peer-reviewed research — all fully open and citable. Charts, ranked tables, and key facts are updated automatically as new data becomes available.

Key Alcohol Consumption Statistics (2026)

2.6 million
Deaths attributable to alcohol per year
5.5 litres pure alcohol/year
Global alcohol per capita consumption
Latvia (13.2L/person)
Country with highest alcohol consumption
4.7%
Alcohol-attributable share of all deaths
2.4 billion
Adults who are current drinkers globally
$2.3 trillion
Global economic cost of alcohol harm

Key Findings: Alcohol Consumption Statistics — 2026 Data

The headline figure for 2026 is 2.6 million — deaths attributable to alcohol per year. This figure comes from WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol 2024 and represents one of the most-cited benchmarks in this space.

Trends and Growth

Looking at broader trends, global alcohol per capita consumption stands at 5.5 litres pure alcohol/year, according to WHO 2024. The data points to continued momentum in this area, driven by digital transformation, shifting consumer behaviour, and policy changes.

Regional Breakdown

While global-level statistics provide a useful overview, significant variation exists between regions and countries. Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific each show distinct patterns in alcohol consumption statistics, shaped by regulatory environments, infrastructure investment, and demographic factors. The statistics above reflect these regional nuances where data permits.

Key Alcohol Consumption Statistics at a Glance

StatisticFigureSource
Deaths attributable to alcohol per year2.6 millionWHO Global Status Report on Alcohol 2024
Global alcohol per capita consumption5.5 litres pure alcohol/yearWHO 2024
Country with highest alcohol consumptionLatvia (13.2L/person)WHO 2019
Alcohol-attributable share of all deaths4.7%WHO 2024
Adults who are current drinkers globally2.4 billionWHO 2024
Global economic cost of alcohol harm$2.3 trillionOECD 2021
Alcohol-related road deaths globally~25% of road traffic deathsWHO 2023
EU per-capita alcohol consumption9.2 litres/yearWHO Europe 2022

Methodology

All statistics on this page are sourced from open-licensed public datasets. World Bank data is available under CC BY 4.0. Eurostat data is published under the Eurostat copyright notice permitting free reuse. Manual statistics are sourced from primary research publications and are cited inline. Data is refreshed automatically on a weekly basis. Where multiple years are available, the most recent complete year is shown unless otherwise noted.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the latest alcohol consumption statistics?

Based on the most recent data compiled by Statsipedia, we've gathered statistics from authoritative sources including the World Bank, Eurostat, and leading research institutions. See the key statistics section above for the most up-to-date figures.

When were these alcohol consumption statistics last updated?

This page was last updated in June 2026. The underlying data points may reflect different collection years — each statistic is labelled with its source year.

Where does the alcohol consumption statistics data come from?

Our statistics are sourced from publicly available datasets including the World Bank Open Data platform (CC BY 4.0), Eurostat, and peer-reviewed research. All sources are cited inline and linked to the original publication.

Can I use these alcohol consumption statistics in my research or content?

Yes. We source data from open-license datasets (CC BY 4.0). Please attribute Statsipedia and the original data source. For commercial use, check the license of each individual source.

Sources & Methodology

  • WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol 2024
  • WHO 2024
  • WHO 2019
  • OECD 2021
  • WHO 2023
  • WHO Europe 2022

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