Dry January: Which is the most sober-curious European country?

Initiatives such as Dry January and Damp January gain increasing popularity, with millions of people said to be taking part across Europe.

Transcript

00:00How is dry January perceived in Europe?

00:08The decision of France's health minister to go

00:11alcohol-free in January has raised a few eyebrows in the country,

00:15which is the biggest wine producer in Europe. Nonetheless,

00:1917 million people in France, one in four in the country,

00:24are planning to abstain from drinking this month.

00:28Almost the same rate, 23%, said they participated in dry January

00:34in neighbouring Belgium in 2023. In Germany,

00:37Europe's leading beer producer, only 13%

00:41took up the challenge in 2024, while there was a 72%

00:46dropout rate. Italians apparently did better

00:50with an estimated 22%, saying

00:53they planned to stop drinking altogether last year

00:57and 40%, saying they would reduce alcohol consumption.

01:02In the UK, where dry January was launched,

01:0515.5 million, or 22.7% of the population,

01:10aim to ditch the booze this month. The success of dry January

01:15has sparked other sobriety initiatives,

01:18such as Damped January. The aim of Damped January

01:22is to develop a healthier relationship with alcohol

01:25by promoting moderation instead of strict abstinence.