Alcohol per adult in Europe, 2022
How much pure alcohol is drunk per person aged 15 and over in 17 European countries, from WHO's estimates for 2022.
Data year: 2022 · Published: · Last updated:
- Czechia13.6 l
- Portugal13.6 l
- Spain11.9 l
- Poland11.9 l
- Austria11.8 l
- Hungary11.5 l
- France11.4 l
- Germany11.0 l
- United Kingdom10.9 l
- Ireland10.4 l
- Denmark10.0 l
- Finland9.6 l
- Belgium9.5 l
- Netherlands8.9 l
- Sweden8.7 l
- Italy8.5 l
- Greece8.4 l
| Country | Litres of pure alcohol per adult (15+) |
|---|---|
| Czechia | 13.6 |
| Portugal | 13.6 |
| Spain | 11.9 |
| Poland | 11.9 |
| Austria | 11.8 |
| Hungary | 11.5 |
| France | 11.4 |
| Germany | 11.0 |
| United Kingdom | 10.9 |
| Ireland | 10.4 |
| Denmark | 10.0 |
| Finland | 9.6 |
| Belgium | 9.5 |
| Netherlands | 8.9 |
| Sweden | 8.7 |
| Italy | 8.5 |
| Greece | 8.4 |
What a litre of pure alcohol means
The figure is the total amount of pure alcohol (ethanol) drunk in a year, divided by everyone aged 15 and over, drinkers and non-drinkers alike. One litre of pure alcohol is about 79 standard drinks of 10 grams, the unit used in Spain. At 11.9 litres a year, the average for Spain works out at about 18 such drinks per adult per week.
How WHO estimates it
WHO combines recorded alcohol, mainly from sales and production data, with estimates of unrecorded alcohol such as home production and cross-border shopping, and adjusts for drinking by tourists. Because the figure is an average across all adults, it does not show how drinking is spread between people.
No safe level for health
WHO's position is that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health: the risk starts with the first drink and grows with the amount drunk. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including bowel cancer and breast cancer in women.
Reading the chart
According to WHO, the European Region has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world. Most countries shown sit between 8 and 14 litres per adult. Spain, at 11.9 litres, is level with Poland and close to Austria (11.8); small gaps between neighbouring countries are within the uncertainty of the estimates.
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