Poland flooded with beer
12:07
According to the report by the Jagiellonian Institute released to the Polish Press Agency on Wednesday, Poland is the leader in the amount of consumed beer in Europe.
The data shows that about 55% of ethanol is consumed by Poles while drinking beer and it is beer that is responsible for the increase in alcohol consumption over the last quarter of the century in Poland and not only the moderate and normative one. Beer is also an alcohol and therefore only the producers of this category of alcohols are allowed to communicate freely with consumers, which makes beer the main source of alcohol in Polish households. The pattern of masculinity with a can of beer has been promoted, while femininity is associated with flavors and sweetness of beer by advertising flavored beers. In turn, young people are being prepared for the role of an adult on the prowl by promoting consumption of non-alcoholic beer.
The authors of the report recommend “introduction of an unambiguous definition of beer (defining standards), which will result in elimination of low, quality and high alcohol content beers from the market”. They also point to the need to “equalise excise duty on all types of alcoholic beverages”. “Balance the fiscal policy towards all participants of the alcoholic beverages market. It is necessary to make the excise duty dependent on the amount of ethanol regardless of the type of alcoholic beverage. Thus, it is advisable to increase the excise burden on beer, as the main carrier of ethanol in consumption” - it was explained.
It was also pointed out that it is necessary to “change the law on the permissibility of advertising alcoholic beverages aimed at ensuring full protection of vulnerable groups, primarily children and adolescents”. “Ensure effective enforcement of the law in terms of compliance by advertising with ethical principles. Spreading a protective umbrella against the initiation of beer drinking by minors”.
