IRELAND HAS THE most expensive alcohol prices in the EU, according to a new Europe-wide report.

A new Eurostat report shows that alcohol in Ireland costs 75% over the EU average, making it the most expensive in the EU.

Ireland is has also the second highest tobacco prices in the EU (behind the United Kingdom) and is the third most expensive country in which to buy milk, cheese and eggs.

Eurostat – the statistical office of the European Union – carried out a survey of food, beverage and tobacco prices in 2015 across 38 participating countries.

The survey covered roughly 440 comparable products.

Ireland ranked above average in every category – with some of the most expensive prices for food and drink in the EU.

The results

Ireland is the most expensive EU members state for alcoholic beverages (175% the EU average), followed closely by Finland (172%) and then the UK (163%).

The cheapest EU member country to buy alcohol is Bulgaria (64% the EU average), followed by Romania (72%) and Hungary (74%).

The UK was the most expensive for tobacco (218% the EU average), followed by Ireland (189%) and then France (127%).

The cheapest place to buy tobacco is Bulgaria (50% the EU average), followed jointly by Croatia and Lithuania (59%).

The full breakdown of Ireland’s position in relation to EU average with other items is:

• All food and non-alcoholic beverages: 119% the EU average 
  
• Bread and cereals: 111% the EU average
• Meat: 106% the EU average
• Milk, cheese and eggs: 128%

Responding to the survey, Donall O’Keeffe, secretary of the Drinks Industry Group called for a reversal of the excise duty on alcohol:

“Excise is a tax on jobs, it is a tax on tourism and it is a tax on Irish consumers,” he said.

Today’s Eurostat figures provide compelling evidence for an excise reversal.

Read: Ever thought about cutting back on alcohol? Here are some tips to help this bank holiday

Read: Ireland’s drunk drivers will leave siblings to die and move bodies to avoid arrest