Bulgaria is below the European Union average in terms of the share of people who drink alcohol every day. In 2025, 4.6% of Bulgarians aged 16 and over reported daily consumption, compared to an EU average of 4.8%, according to Eurostat data.
However, the result should be interpreted with caution. Less frequent daily consumption does not necessarily mean lower overall consumption or lower health risk, as the amount of alcohol consumed at one time and episodes of heavy drinking also matter.
In 2025, 19.2% of people in the EU consumed alcohol every week, and another 21.8% at least once a month. In total, 45.8% drank at least once a month. At the same time, 20.7% consumed alcohol less than once a month, and 33.5% did not drink in the previous year or never consumed alcohol.
Poland leads in daily consumption
The differences between countries are significant. The highest share of daily consumption was recorded in Poland, where it reached 16%. It was followed by Italy with 7.9%, as well as Belgium and Denmark with 7.5% each.
However, these numbers do not indicate how much alcohol is actually consumed. OECD data, for example, measures total consumption in liters of pure alcohol per person and shows a different picture. Another important indicator is heavy episodic drinking, in which a large amount of alcohol is consumed in a short time. According to earlier comparable data, nearly one in five adults in the EU reported such an episode at least once a month.
Men drink more often, daily use increases with age
The gender gap remains clear. In 2025, 56.5% of men in the EU drank alcohol at least once a month, compared to 35.9% of women.
Daily use increases with age. Only 0.8% of people aged 16 to 24 reported drinking every day, while the proportion reached 8.9% for those aged 65 and over. However, for young people, drinking less frequently does not necessarily mean lower risk. The World Health Organization warns that heavy episodic drinking can be particularly dangerous for young people, due to the increased risk of injuries, road accidents and other consequences.
The data also show a link with socio-economic status. Among people at risk of poverty or social exclusion, 47.5% have not consumed alcohol in the past year or have never drunk, compared to 29.9% among the rest of the population.
It is not just how often we drink that matters for health
From a medical point of view, the most important thing is the total amount of alcohol and the pattern of use. The WHO defines alcohol as a toxic and psychoactive substance capable of causing addiction. Its use is causally linked to more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions.
Alcohol is an established Group 1 carcinogen and is linked to at least seven types of cancer, including breast, liver, colon and rectum, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and esophagus. According to the WHO, there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption. Even low levels of consumption can increase the risk, with the risk increasing with the amount.
Europe continues to bear a particularly heavy burden. According to WHO data, the European Region remains the region with the highest alcohol consumption in the world, and around 800,000 deaths per year are associated with its use.
Therefore, the result of 4.6% daily users places Bulgaria slightly below the EU average in only one specific indicator. To truly assess the health risk, frequency, amount, heavy episodic drinking, and total consumption must be considered simultaneously. This is why the WHO recommendation is concise: the less alcohol, the lower the health risk.