UK Was the Only Country in Europe Where Drinking Went up in Lockdown

I have no evidence of this at all, but other European countries seem to have a better relationship with alcohol and food than we do here.

I'm not shocked. The UK has a strange obsession with drinking and going to the pub, though listening to Worzel Gummidge on the news most nights would have turned you to drink.

I’m sure drinking did go up during the pandemic after all you could both have wine with dinner without the usual discussion of who’s turn it is to drive.

Guilty

Not surprised by that at all but it kept us from going crazy

I'm a bit surprised by this.

Although, a lot of other European countries have traditionally had a higher alcohol consumption rate than the UK. Consequently, they may not have felt a need to drink more. Plus, the article indicates the UK was the only European country where off-licences were allowed to stay open.

The last World Health Organization (WHO) Global Status Report on Alcohol consumption had Great Britain in 24th Place. Most of the countries that drank more were European - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_alcohol_consumption_per_capita