The UK is the only country in western Europe except Finland where liver disease has increased In the last three decades

Jackie Ballard, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, warned that “the UK is in danger of losing the battle against liver disease, which goes against the trend in much of the rest of Europe where many of our neighbours are actually making progress.

“Figures show an alarming rise in hospital admissions from alcoholic liver disease over the past few years. For the first time we are seeing young people under 30 dying of alcoholic liver disease, the so-called ‘alcopops generation’, who have grown up in a society where alcohol is available at almost anytime, anywhere, at incredibly cheap prices and promoted non-stop.”