According to the 2025 Drug Affinity Study conducted by the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG), fewer young people and young adults in Germany are consuming alcohol, and the average age of first alcohol consumption is rising, leading to a historical low in weekly alcohol consumption among younger populations.
Despite the overall decline in alcohol consumption, binge drinking remains prevalent among adolescents and young men. The study found that nearly 15% of youth practiced binge drinking in the preceding 30 days (14.8% of males and 14.7% of females). This prevalence level is comparable to what was observed before the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate of binge drinking among young men remained largely unchanged (at 45.8% in 2025). However, young women experienced a statistically significant decrease between 2023 and 2025, dropping to 26.1%. Prior to the pandemic, this figure had consistently been 30% or higher.
Johannes Nießen, the commissioned director of the BIÖG, noted that while the study confirms the effectiveness of preventative measures, these efforts are not successfully reaching all young people uniformly. He highlighted the encouraging reduction in binge drinking among young women, but stressed that risky alcohol consumption among youth and young men continues to be a significant problem.
The BIÖG (previously BZgA) has been monitoring the substance use of German youth and young adults through repeated surveys since 1973. For the 2025 Drug Affinity Study, 7,001 young people aged 12 to 25 were surveyed between April and July 2025.
