Alcohol, Analytics, Health, Legislation, Lithuania, Markets and Companies, Medicine

In 2017, country’s retail trade and catering enterprises sold 3.1 million dekalitres of spirits (vodka, whisky, brandy and the like), which is by 358 thousand dekalitres (10.5%) less than in 2016, and 4.2 million dekalitres of wine and fermented beverages, which is by 947 thousand dekalitres (18.4%) less than in 2016. Just as every year, the bulk of sales fell within beer – 23.2 million dekalitres, or by 2.1 million dekalitres (8.2%) less than in 2016.

Notably, the bulk of turnover of small (1–3 employees) shops falls within sales of alcoholic beverages. In 2017, it accounted for nearly 36%, in some shops – as much as 80%.

In 2017, against 2016, retail prices of alcoholic beverages grew by 11.7%, with the largest increase observed in prices of fruit wine – 53.5, beer produced in Lithuania – 27.5, imported beer – 17.2, bitter – 14.5, vodka produced in Lithuania – 12.6%. The growth in prices of alcoholic beverages was conditioned by a higher excise duty applied since 1 March 2017.

In 2017, 1.03 million dekalitres of spirits, expressed in terms of absolute (100%.) alcohol, were produced in Lithuania. Against 2016, their production decreased by 5%. In 2017, production of fermented beverages amounted to 5.5 million dekalitres, which is by 2.3% more than in 2016. In the group of fermented beverages, an increase was recorded in the production of cider (34.1%), non-sparkling fermented beverages (28.7%), sparkling fermented beverages (1.3%), while a decrease – in the production of fruit and berry wine (31.1%). In 2017, the production of grape wine and vermouth amounted to 0.4 million dekalitres, or by 15% less than in 2016. Beer production accounted for the largest proportion – 29.6 million dekalitres; however, over the year, it decreased by 1.1%.

In 2017, against 2016, the largest increase was observed in imports and exports of wine (13.4 and 21.2% respectively) and beer (11.8 and 20.1% respectively). Imports of fermented beverages decreased by 8.8%, exports – increased by 21.2%; imports of spirits increased by 8.5, exports – 14.3%.

In 2017, against 2016, a decrease in the production and sales of alcoholic beverages, expressed in terms of absolute (100%) alcohol, was observed, while imports and exports were on an increase.

According to the data of the Institute of Hygiene, based on the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund Information System, in 2017, 25.7 thousand persons were diagnosed with at least one disease directly linked to alcohol consumption, or 907.6 persons per 100 thousand population. The most frequent diagnoses were alcoholic dependence (623.2 cases per 100 thousand population), toxic effect of alcohol (179.2 cases per 100 thousand population), and alcoholic psychosis (105.1 cases per 100 thousand population). Against 2016, prevalence of alcoholic psychoses decreased by 15.7%, prevalence of alcoholic dependence decreased by 5.4%. The prevalence of diseases directly linked to alcohol consumption is the highest among men aged 35–39, which exceeds that among women more than 3 times. The highest prevalence for rural residents is observed in the 35–39 age group; for urban residents, the peak of prevalence is reached later – at the age of 45–49.

According to the data of the Institute of Hygiene, in 2017, 576 persons died from diseases directly linked to alcohol consumption, which is by 94 less than in 2016. The most frequent alcohol-related diseases were alcoholic liver disease (42.5%), accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol (33.5%) and alcoholic cardiomyopathy (12.5%).

In 2017, male mortality due to diseases directly linked to alcohol consumption was 4.6 times as large as female. In 2017, the number of deaths due to alcohol consumption per 100 thousand urban population amounted to 19.6 (in 2016, 22.8), per 100 thousand rural population – to 21.9 (in 2016, 24.5).

According to the data of the Police Department, in 2017, each tenth road traffic accident was caused by a drunk person: 333 road traffic accidents through the fault of drunk persons were registered, with 43 persons killed and 518 injured. In 2017, 18 persons were killed and 297 – injured in road traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers. In 2017, against 2016, the number of road traffic accidents caused by drunk persons decreased by 24.8, of those caused by drunk drivers – decreased by 21.5%.

According to the data of the State Labour Inspectorate, in 2017, 29 intoxicated persons suffered from accidents at work (in 2016, 32); 5 of them died (in 2016, 9). Moreover, 2 intoxicated persons suffered on the way to or from work (in 2016, 6).

According to the data of the Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service, at the end of 2017, 3.9 thousand drinking families at social risk raising children were on the record of municipal child rights protection services (branches) (by 0.2 thousand, or 4.9%, less than in 2016), with 7.1 thousand children raised in them. Over the year, the number of children raised in such families decreased by 0.5 thousand (6.6%).

In 2017, 1 202 cigarettes were purchased in retail trade and catering enterprises per resident aged 15 and older (by 6.4% less than in 2016).

In 2017, against 2016, the production of cigarettes decreased by 12.7, exports decreased by 6.9%, while imports increased by 13.8%.

In 2017, against 2016, retail prices of tobacco products grew by 7.5%. The growth in prices of cigarettes was conditioned by a higher excise duty applied since 1 March 2017.

In 2017, 1 650 persons died due to smoking-related malignant neoplasms, which is by 59 less than in 2016; most of them (79.8%) were males. In 2017, there were 58.3 deaths from smoking-related malignant neoplasms per 100 thousand population (urban population – 50.1, rural population – 75.1).

For more information, see the Database of Indicators.

Table 1. Legal alcohol consumption

* – provisional data.
¹ In the calculation of legal alcohol consumption, alcohol sold at border checkpoints and in duty-free shops and alcohol consumed by foreign tourists in Lithuania is eliminated, while alcohol consumed by Lithuanian tourists abroad is included.

Table 2. Legal tobacco consumption

* – provisional data.

Table 3. Sales of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
In retail trade and catering enterprises

* – provisional data.

Table 4. Average retail prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
EUR

¹ The list of representative alcoholic beverages is annually updated taking into account changes in the assortment of beverages on the market. In different years, the statistical price survey covers alcoholic beverages of various alcohol content imported from different countries and produced by different manufacturers.
² Excl. the price of the container.
³ 20–50% alcohol.

Table 5. Changes in retail prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
Against the previous year,%

¹ Vodka, liqueur, cognac, brandy, bitter, whisky, rum, gin, tequila, alcoholic cocktails.
² Non-fortified grape wine, fortified dessert wine, fruit wine, sparkling wine, vermouth, cider.

Table 6. Production of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes

Table 7. Imports of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes

^◘ – non-final data.

Table 8. Exports of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes

^◘ – non-final data.

Table 9. Average monthly net earnings, their changes and purchasing power

¹ 20–50% alcohol.

Table 10. Number of persons diagnosed with diseases directly linked to alcohol consumption
Data provided by the Institute of Hygiene. Data source – Compulsory Health Insurance Fund Information System Sveidra

* – provisional data.
¹ International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification.
² If a person was diagnosed with more than one disease, s/he was included in more than one row of the table. In the row “Total”, such a person was included only once.
³  In 2016, place of residence was not indicated by 226 persons, in 2017 – by 254 persons; therefore, the sum of persons by place of residence is smaller than number in the column “Total”.

Table 11. Incidence of certain smoking-related diseases
Data provided by the Institute of Hygiene, aged 15 and older

* – provisional data.

Table 12. Mortality due to diseases directly linked to alcohol consumption, liver cirrhosis and fibrosis
Data provided by the Institute of Hygiene

* – provisional data.

Table 13. Mortality due to smoking-related malignant neoplasms
Data provided by the Institute of Hygiene

* – provisional data.

Table 14. Road traffic accidents through the fault of drunk persons
Data of the Police Department

* – provisional data.
¹ Persons killed refers to persons who died from injuries suffered in a road traffic accident outright or within 30 days of the accident.