Just four per cent of the English population consume almost one-third of all the alcohol sold in England, according to healthcare data.
The figures emerged during a debate on a 50 pence (87 Australian cents) minimum unit price on alcohol by a British parliamentary committee on Monday.
Rosanna O'Connor, director of Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco at Public Health England revealed around 4.4 per cent of the English population drank just under a third of the alcohol consumed in the country.
"That's around 2 million drinking just over 30 per cent of the alcohol."
O'Connor said the majority of the group were drinking very cheap, high-strength alcohol such as cider.
A three-litre bottle of cider containing 22.5 units of alcohol can be bought for as little as GBP3.60 ($A7.06).
If the minimum unit price were to be introduced, the costs would jump to GBP11.
Those supporting the minimum unit price say it only targets a small group of problem drinkers, such as street drinkers, under age drinkers and young people "pre-loading" before a night out.
Unlike a tax, it will not impact alcohol price in pubs and clubs, which they say could have a negative impact on the night-time economy.
Critics of the proposals say money raised from a minimum unit price goes straight to the manufacturers, while increased duty could be used to provide alcohol treatment programmes.
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