Reducing alcohol consumption poses a real challenge for many. The Dutch government is tackling this with the new 'Dranquilo' campaign, drawing on proven public health strategies to shift ingrained habits.
We've all been the designated driver—or 'bob'—at least once. Soon, thanks to this initiative, 'dranquilo'—inspired by the Spanish 'tranquilo,' meaning 'take it easy'—could become just as common. That's the goal of the Dranquilo campaign, backed by health experts and aimed at normalizing moderation.
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State Secretary Paul Blokhuis (VWS) states: "Drinking alcohol increases the risk of all kinds of health problems. We do not want to point a finger about this, but we do want to encourage people to deal with it consciously. This new campaign shows with a wink that taking it easy with alcohol—from not drinking at all for a while to skipping a round and everything in between—is very normal."
The campaign, targeting elderly adults, students, and rural youth, stems from the National Prevention Agreement. It seeks to heighten awareness of alcohol use and its effects, drawing on data from the Trimbos Institute and VWS.
Key goals include cutting excessive drinkers from 8.8% to 5% and heavy drinkers from 8.5% to 5% by 2040. Despite alcohol's deep roots in Dutch culture—where 8 in 10 adults over 18 drink occasionally, often socially—recent trends are promising. The latest Alcohol Examination revealed 16% of Dutch people plan to drink less. Participation in Dry January hit record highs this year, and non-alcoholic beer sales are surging.
