Share of alcohol consumers in Italy 2022, by region

About 67.1 percent of Italians consumed alcoholic beverages at least once over the course of 2022. According to the data, Emilia-Romagna was the region recording the highest share of alcohol consumers, with 72.7 percent. Liguria followed closely, with 71.8 percent of its residents’ consuming alcohol during that year. Conversely, Calabria was the region with the lowest share, with 59.2 percent of people drinking alcohol in 2022. In general, alcohol consumption seemed to be more common in Northern regions compared to Southern ones.

Binge drinking

Binge drinking is a pattern of excessive drinking which in Italy is more common among males. Nevertheless, the share of male individuals who binge drink has decreased over the past decade, while it has increased for women. Across the Italian regions, the Autonomous province of Bolzano recorded the highest share of binge drinkers both among females and males.

Expenses related to alcohol abuse

In 2022, roughly 62.9 thousand people in Italy took part in alcohol abuse treatment programs in rehabilitation centers, almost 10 thousand people less compared to 2014. Moreover, the costs sustained by the Italian NHS for drugs used to treat alcohol abuse and dependence decreased in the last couple of years, and in 2022 it amounted to 9.6 euros per 100 inhabitants.