Poland wants to limit the hours of alcohol sales to combat health problems, reduce crime and curb excessive drinking, writes Politico.
Warsaw has already tried to introduce local restrictions, but they were only in force in two neighborhoods of the city. A coalition led by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has submitted proposals for changes to the law, calling for a ban on alcohol advertising, limiting the hours of alcohol sales, and ending the sale of alcohol at gas stations and online.
The coalition partners have said that the changes would be in line with recommendations from the World Health Organization, and similar restrictions have already proven effective.
European Union health statistics rank Poland among the bloc’s biggest drinkers. The country ranks second in the EU in terms of alcohol-related deaths. The call for nationwide restrictions comes after the Warsaw city council failed to agree on new rules for the entire capital.
The Warsaw case highlights the differences between political groups, even within Tusk’s coalition, on public health issues.
Councillors have rebelled against the proposal, saying it restricts individual freedoms.
But the Poles are not alone. International leaders have also failed to agree on a political declaration to reduce chronic diseases, including those caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
Warsaw politicians have not reached a common decision, even though the city’s residents support the restrictions. Joanna Wicz, a member of the Left Party, told Politico that many municipalities lack the determination and courage to ban alcohol sales at night, so the decision must come “from the top.” She suggested that Tusk’s support could help impose restrictions.
The proposals are currently in the public consultation stage, and the government is expected to start working on them in late October or early November.
Poland has a relatively large number of shops selling alcoholic beverages.
At the end of 2023, there were 119,000 different outlets, or one for every 320 people. In Sweden, there is one alcohol outlet for every 11,000 people, and alcohol is mainly sold in state-owned monopoly stores.
The Left Party’s bill would ban the sale of alcoholic beverages at gas stations and long-term rehabilitation facilities, and would ban the sale of alcohol from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and would allow municipalities to further restrict sales hours, as well as introduce other barriers to purchasing alcohol.
In Poland, 8.8 liters of pure alcohol were consumed per person in 2024. This is less than in 2021, but mainly at the expense of beer consumption. WHO data shows that Poles drink more alcohol than the bloc average. One reason could be cheap alcohol.
The drinks industry has also mobilized against the potential restrictions, calling the bill populist and overly controlling.
Read also: Several immigration violations recorded in Latvia. NA calls for stricter immigration control