Survey: Almost 45% of young Poles obtained alcohol before they were 18

Author: prepared by JKB • Source: Press materials • Published: April 29, 2025 10:15 • Updated: April 29, 2025 10:18

The GrowSPACE Foundation has launched the “Zero Percent Truth” campaign. During the press conference, the preliminary results of a survey conducted by the National Research Group on the initiation of alcohol by children and adolescents were presented, which showed that as many as 14% of Poles aged 18-29 started drinking at the age of 14 or younger.

The preliminary results of the survey on the initiation of alcohol among children and adolescents are already in. Photo: AdobeStock/Gesa Foto

The GrowSPACE Foundation presented the preliminary results of a survey on alcohol initiation among children and adolescents
It turns out that 14 percent of Poles aged 18-29 tried alcohol for the first time at the age of 14 or younger.
In total, 62.7 percent of respondents tried alcohol under the age of 18.
- The state should create a drinking culture based on anti-alcohol policy. Meanwhile, we live in times when the drinking culture is created by marketing experts working for producers of vodka, beer or wine - said Alan Wysocki, PR and communication director of the GrowSPACE Foundation, campaign coordinator

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As we read in the press release, the survey shows that the younger the Pole, the earlier he or she first reached for alcohol. It turns out that 14% of Poles aged 18-29 tried alcohol for the first time at the age of 14 or younger. 48.6% of this group started drinking between the ages of 15 and 17.

This means that the vast majority, as many as 62.7% of them tried alcohol before the age of 18. If we look at the results in the groups of 50-59, 60-69 and 70+, 27.5, 21.3 and 23.6% of them tried alcohol before the age of 18, respectively. However, the overwhelming majority of these people were not 14 or younger, but 15-17 years old.

This beer became the gateway to the initiation of alcoholic youth. 46% of Poles tried beer as their first choice, and it was with beer that they started:

as many as 68 percent of Poles aged 40-49,
as many as 69 percent of Poles aged 30-39,
as many as 57 percent of Poles aged 18-29.

The survey shows that 44.7 percent of Poles aged 18-29 obtained alcohol despite being too young.

In the case of people aged 30-39, as many as 34.04% obtained alcohol despite not being of legal age. This number decreases with the age of the respondents. In the case of people aged 70+, only 8.97% were able to do so.

As many as 68.81% of Poles aged 18-29 who managed to obtain alcohol despite not being of legal age, managed to obtain beer . In the case of age groups 30-39 and 40-49 who managed to obtain alcohol without having reached the age of 18, the numbers are almost the same. Beer was purchased by 66.05% and 64.76% of them, respectively.

The survey also shows that it is easier for underage men to obtain alcohol. 30% of them managed to obtain alcohol despite not being of legal age. In the case of underage women, the figure is: 17.31%.

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"We are becoming ambassadors for alcohol corporations"

- Every moment of our lives is used by the alcohol industry to push as much vodka, wine and, above all, beer into our hands as possible. Each of us has heard of the "12+12" promotion, and has seen advertisements or pictures showing relaxed people relaxing with a beer. These activities also reach young people, who are starting to reach for alcohol at an increasingly earlier age - said Dominik Kuc, a member of the GrowSPACE Foundation's Management Board, quoted in the release.

- The state should create a drinking culture based on anti-alcohol policy. Meanwhile, we live in times when the drinking culture is created by marketing experts working for producers of vodka, beer or wine . They are responsible for the way we think about alcohol, the way we perceive alcohol and even for the alcohol we reach for. Their greatest success is creating a situation in which we - citizens become ambassadors of alcohol corporations. It is we who, passively submitting to the PR efforts of the alcohol industry, take advantage of the 12+12 promotion, go on family holidays, birthdays and name days loaded with alcohol, encourage our loved ones and friends to drink it, throwing out phrases like "won't you drink with me" or "what are you sick of not drinking" - said Alan Wysocki, PR and Communication Director of the GrowSPACE Foundation, campaign coordinator, quoted in the press release.

As part of the campaign, after the May Day weekend, on May 9, the Foksal Press Center will release the "Zero Percent of Truth" report, in which the Foundation will present the full results of the survey, focus group studies supplemented with expert commentary and a legal analysis of the regulations on alcohol advertising.

Following the presentation, the Foundation will conduct further activities as part of the "Zero Percent Truth" campaign aimed at achieving a complete ban on alcohol advertising in Poland - without any exceptions.