Public Survey Shows Broad Consensus for Better Alcohol Policy
A recent national survey confirms that most people in the Czech Republic support improving and levling up alcohol policy to prevent harm and protect health. The survey results, presented by Minister Zdravi, a Movendi International member organisation, show that the public supports a wide range of alcohol policy measures, including alcohol advertising bans, taxation reforms, and common-sense limits on alcohol sales.
63% of adults think alcohol policy measures are currently insufficient and should be improved, according to the Behavio survey commissioned by the Ministr Zdravi think tank and conducted in April 2025 with 1,000 respondents.
This public support signals a clear mandate for decision-makers to take ambitious and evidence-based action on alcohol harm in the country.
People Want Common-Sense Limits on Alcohol Promotion and Availability
People highly support specific alcohol advertising limitations across different categories.
For example:
- 78% of respondents support a ban on alcohol promotions at events for young people.
- A further 73% want alcohol advertising on TV and radio to be limited to nighttime hours.
- Restrictions on digital ads (72%) and bans on outdoor advertising at sports and cultural events (71%) also have broad approval.
The public also supports placing common sense limits on alcohol availability and affordability.
For instance:
- 63% of people agree that alcohol sales should be limited at gas stations, vending machines, and near schools.
- More than half (54%) want to abolish the tax exemption for still wine and cider.
- 51% favour mandatory health warnings on labels.
- 47% supported regular indexation of excise tax.
Although some measures faced mixed opinions, such as limiting nighttime alcohol sales in shops (39% in favour, 30% opposed), the overall trend reflects a growing public awareness about the harms caused by alcohol and the importance of preventive policy action.
Alcohol Use in the Czech Republic Poses a Heavy Burden
According to Dr. Tomáš Šebek, physician and founder of the Ministr Zdravi think tank, alcohol causes an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 deaths each year in the Czech Republic.
The country faces tens of thousands of hospitalisations due to alcohol annually and economic losses amounting to CZK 40 to 50 billion – approximately €2 billion.
The Czech Republic is among the countries with the highest population-level alcohol intake, with an average of 160 liters of alcohol consumed per person per year.
Alcohol is linked to over 30 diagnoses and contributes to approximately 200 other diseases. It fuels crime, domestic violence, and family breakdowns.
The aim of our Think tank is to prolong people’s lives in the Czech Republic for 5 years. For this reason, we have long been involved in alcohol policy,” said Tomáš Šebek, a doctor and founder of the think tank Ministr Zdravi,
We’re deeply concerned about the alcohol burden in our country: six to seven thousand deaths per year, tens of thousands of hospitalisation, billions in costs. And alcohol fuels crime, domestic violence, and family disintegration.”
Dr. Tomáš Šebek, physician and founder, Ministr Zdravi
Widespread Recognition of Alcohol’s Harms
The survey shows that people’s understanding of the risks and harm linked to alcohol is growing. For example:
- 87% of respondents see alcohol-impaired driving as a major issue,
- 81% recognise its negative impact on families and its role in domestic violence, and
- 84% are aware of the harms of alcohol use during pregnancy, with 82% recognising the risk of developmental disorders in children.
However, awareness is lower for other severe health consequences.
- Only about half of the public know that alcohol is linked to cardiovascular diseases (54%), cancer (52%), mental health problems (52%), and learning and memory disorders (51%).
- Even fewer, just 34%, recognise that alcohol weakens the immune system.
These findings underline that people in the Czech Republic are highly aware of the social harm caused by alcohol. At the same time, they are much less aware of the serious health harms alcohol causes.
The fresh new Ministr Zdravi survey illustrates the urgent need for public policy, health promotion programs, and educational campaigns regarding the health impacts of alcohol.
A Growing Movement for Policy Action
Kateřina Hellebrandová, director of Ministr Zdravi, emphasises that alcohol policy is now firmly on the public health agenda. The Call to Protect Public Health and Reduce Alcohol Availability, co-authored with WHO, Movendi International, the Rational Addiction Policy think tank, and many others, already has more than 50 signatories, including the Czech Medical Chamber and several professional societies and civil society organizations.
The Czech society is much more open to solve the problems linked with alcohol than sometimes assumed, as the survey shows,” said Kateřina Hellebrandová, CEO of tMinistr Zdravi,
It is definitely no longer true that a political party that addresses alcohol policy will lose their elections. Czechs, on the other hand, are interested in improving public health. At the same time, our call to politicians to reduce the availability of alcohol already has 50 signatories, including the Czech Medical Chamber, professional societies and representatives of civil society. All this confirms that this is not a marginal topic, but an important part of the debate on the public health and the sustainability of our health system.”
Kateřina Hellebrandová, director, think tank Ministr zdraví
The people from the Czech Republic clearly want their government to place common sense limits on alcohol, protect children and families, and invest in preventive policies that promote freedom from harm. The work by Ministr Zdravi shows people’s support and a growing civil society movement for making alcohol policy the priority it should be in the Czech Republic.
Additional resources
Ministr Zdravi Press Release: “Survey: Almost two -thirds of Czechs agree with stricter regulation alcohol“