photo: Jiří Zemen, PrahaIN.cz/Plzenské pivo, illustration photo
INTERVIEW: “A miracle happened, beer is cheaper than water, that’s our culture, beer well-being,” rapped Orion from PSH more than thirteen years ago. It was true then, and even though times have changed a lot, it is still true today. There are countless places in Prague where it is better for your wallet to order a beer instead of a soft drink.
In particular, home-made lemonades, which can now be found in almost all restaurants in the capital, are almost always slightly more expensive than beer. It is mostly a syrup supplemented with a few pieces of fresh fruit.
The difference compared to the alcoholic drink, in which Czechs break records in consumption every year, amounts to around ten to thirty crowns.
We noticed the biggest difference at the Hard Rock Café. A soda here costs 95 kroner, i.e. exactly the same as Staropramen draft beer. Homemade lemonade is even 175, so it is almost twice as much as beer juice.
Abstainer has a hard time here.
We wrote
Those who live or work in the center of Prague and do not want to cook do not necessarily have to rely only on overpriced tourist restaurants, where they can eat for at least three…
We were interested in an expert’s opinion, so we contacted Markéta Čermáková, psychologist, psychotherapist and director of the NEO Centrum outpatient clinic. He also has extensive experience in the field of addiction.
She does not like higher prices for non-alcoholic drinks than for alcoholic drinks.
“I cannot comment on the specific situation in a specific company, but in general it can be said that the price of non-alcoholic beverages, which is higher and thus their availability is lower than that of alcoholic beverages, can contribute to higher alcohol consumption,” stated Čermáková.
“Many factors play a role in the risk of addiction. This could be one of them. But I can’t tell numbers or percentages. It is an important item in decision-making, especially for young people who do not have such a financial income. How life shapes us, including all the habits, vices, habits and addictions, has a big impact at a young age. I perceive riskiness in that,” says Markéta Čermáková.
According to her, it is necessary to do something about this matter.
“I don’t have a guide, but just the fact that non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks have different prices gives some information about what society thinks about what is more profitable to consume. It gives some attitude that we as a society support. It seems to me to be an important part of the overall social setting, prevention of addictions and so on.”
Alcohol, and especially beer, is downplayed
According to Čermáková, alcohol consumption in the Czech Republic is becoming less important.
“I am convinced of it. I encounter this regularly. The risks of alcohol consumption, the risks of addiction are underestimated. Incipient addictions and symptoms are devalued. People don’t come for help in time because society’s attitude towards alcohol consumption is tolerant,” says the director of the NEO Centrum outpatient clinic.
According to Čermáková, this matter also applies to beer. Distributing alcohol is said to be a bit of a trap, and part of society excludes beer from alcohol.
“These are answers like: I don’t drink alcohol, only beer. These responses are not exceptional. That is one of the risks that this society-wide setting brings.”
Čermáková says in connection with beer, the production of which is well known in the Czech Republic, that the company underestimates something that has a risk in it.
“We can of course talk about the degree of risk and the negative consequences of consuming the same amount of beer and the same amount of hard alcohol, they are of course completely different. But in general, this is the risk of addiction with any alcohol. The same risk of health, but also social problems, is really the case with all alcohol,” he concludes.
2023-08-27 10:10:21
#Beer #cheaper #soda #expert
