New Alcohol Policy Measures Aim to Prevent Harm and Save Lives
On August 1, 2025, Latvia began enforcing a new set of alcohol policy measures aimed at lowering one of the highest levels of alcohol use, harm, and costs in Europe. These long-debated amendments to the Law on Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages and the Electronic Mass Media Law introduce a series of alcohol availability and advertising standards, grounded in World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations. The Latvian Ministry of Health developed the package in response to alarming national statistics and longstanding calls from public health advocates to better protect people and communities from harm due to alcohol.
Today’s amendments are a step forward in shaping a Latvia where people’s health and well-being are truly valued and supported…”
Linda De Keyser, volunteer at the Latvian NGO “Support and Prevention Center For Your Freedom”
Latvia’s new package of alcohol policy measures shows a public health approach grounded in international evidence aiming to protect health and reduce harm. The package includes:
- Shortened retail sales hours,
- A six-hour delay for online or app-based alcohol deliveries,
- A ban on alcohol sales and consumption at slot machines, card games, dice games, roulette tables, or other gambling equipment,
- A ban on advertising alcohol prices and discounts across print, digital, and retail channels, and
- A prohibition of promotional sales practices, such as tastings, gifts, loyalty discounts, or multi-buy deals.
Reducing Availability and Advertising of Alcohol
As of August 2025, new trading hours place common sense limits on the sale of alcohol in retail outlets and digital platforms.
- Alcohol sales are now allowed from 10:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 10:00 to 18:00 on Sundays. This reduces the alcohol availability by two hours each day compared to previous regulations.
- In addition, Latvia has introduced a six-hour delivery delay for all online and app-based alcohol purchases. This measure aims to protect people from impulsive alcohol use and to reduce heavy and high-risk alcohol consumption.
The new limits on alcohol circulation are not merely regulatory – they represent a cultural shift toward prioritising mental clarity, emotional resilience, and healthier lifestyles.”
Agris Starts, co-founder, Latvian NGO “Support and Prevention Center For Your Freedom”
Latvia has also begun to implement higher standards for how the alcohol industry can and cannot market their harmful products.
- Advertising of discounts, promotions, or loyalty schemes involving alcohol is now banned across all media, including press, digital channels, cinemas, and retail outlets.
- Alcohol use is also prohibited in gambling venues, including at slot machines and gaming tables.
- All retail locations must now display visible health warnings about the harms caused by alcohol.
These changes are part of the broader national strategy to address the normalisation of alcohol use and its consequences. Sanita Lazdina of the Ministry of Health said the policies reflected a commitment to long-term health improvement, according to Ministry of Health.
It is important to understand that change in society is not happening immediately. The results will only be visible in the long run, and let’s carry out an in-depth impact rating in three years.”
Sanita Lazdina, Ministry of Health, Latvia
High Alcohol Use, Harm, and Costs in Latvia
Latvia has consistently recorded some of the highest per capita alcohol use rates in the European Union and OECD.
In 2023, the per capita alcohol use was 11.7 liters, or 12.5 liters when accounting for tourism. In 2024, the total remained high at 12 liters, compared to the European average of 10 liters. These numbers represent a serious public health crisis.
According to the Ministry of Health and the study “Prevalence and Consequences of Alcohol Use in Latvia,” alcohol-related harm cost the country €439–602 million annually, equal to 1.3 – 1.8% of GDP. Of that, more than €56 million was spent on healthcare alone, or 2.7% of the total health budget. These costs are tied to preventable illnesses such as liver cirrhosis, accidents, suicides, drownings, and violence.
Prevention Measures Based on Global Evidence
The implemented changes are aligned with WHO-recommended “Best Buys” for alcohol policy: common sense limits on alcohol availability, banning alcohol advertising, and using pricing measures to lower alcohol affordability.
In fact, research found that nine EU countries, including neighboring Lithuania, reduced per capita alcohol use by at least 10% from 2010 to 2022 by adopting similar prevention-focused strategies.
For example, Lithuania reduced alcohol use by 2.5 liters, or 17%, through better alcohol policy starting in 2018.
Alcohol Industry Interference Delayed and Watered Down Alcohol Policy Measures
Movendi International previously reported that Latvia’s earlier plans to raise the legal age for purchasing alcohol and to introduce higher taxes faced aggressive opposition from alcohol industry lobbyists. As a result, some parts of the original policy package were removed, delayed or watered down.
Despite that interference, the Ministry of Health succeeded in pushing forward a meaningful set of alcohol policy measures that now offer a robust foundation for alcohol prevention.
A Historic Achievement and Future Goals
Latvian civil society and public health leaders with support of the WHO have worked for these alcohol policy improvements for years. Local civil society, including Movendi International members and partners worked to engage with members of parliament in support of the ambitious alcohol law reform package by the Ministry of Health.
These efforts were critical at key moments of the reform process. And so local people welcome this historic moment for Latvia.
Today’s amendments are a step forward in shaping a Latvia where people’s health and well-being are truly valued and supported,” said Linda de Keyser in a statement to Movendi International. Ms de Keyser is a volunteer at the Latvian NGO “Support and Prevention Center For Your Freedom”.
Good alcohol policies help create healthier environments by regulating the pricing, marketing and availability of alcohol. This, in turn, empowers people to make healthier choices and reduces alcohol-related harm along with its significant social and economic consequences.
There is more work ahead, but today, we celebrate progress.”
Linda De Keyser, volunteer at the Latvian NGO “Support and Prevention Center For Your Freedom”
The founder of “1000 Days Sober” initiative and the co-founder of the new NGO “Support and Prevention Center For Your Freedom” also spoke to Movendi International. Agris Starts said:
Today marks a pivotal step forward for public health and social wellbeing in Latvia. As the founder of the ‘1000 Days Sober’ initiative, I’ve witnessed firsthand how alcohol dependence can fracture lives, families, and communities. The new limits on alcohol circulation are not merely regulatory – they represent a cultural shift toward prioritising mental clarity, emotional resilience, and healthier lifestyles.
I believe these changes will empower individuals to reassess their relationship with alcohol, especially in a society where its influence has long been normalised. I see these new rules as liberating – an opportunity for people to choose presence over escape, connection over isolation.”
Agris Starts, co-founder, Latvian NGO “Support and Prevention Center For Your Freedom”
Movendi International worked with local community leaders and activists in support of the alcohol law reform and also provided strategic input to the Parliament of Latvia.
The Ministry of Health has committed to an in-depth impact assessment in partnership with the WHO, with a full report due by October 31, 2026. Meanwhile, Latvia is working to further reduce high-risk alcohol use, which stood at 39.8% in 2020. The country defines high-risk alcohol consumption as intake of more than 60 g of alcohol at one time in the last month or year.
The 2025 target is to prevent figure from increasing and slightly lower it to 39% through better policies, improved access to treatment services, and public education, as per Baltic News Network reporting.
These reforms are part of the government’s 2023 – 2025 Plan for Reducing Alcohol and other Drug Use and the Public Health Guidelines for 2021 – 2027. Together, they emphasise the importance of prevention, accountability, and societal responsibility in shaping a future where people in Latvia can live free from harm caused by alcohol.
Sources
Latvian Ministry of Health (Veselības ministrija): “New restrictions on alcohol availability and advertising will come into force” [English Translation]
Baltic News Network (BNN): “New restrictions on the availability and advertising of alcohol will come into effect from August“