20 years of declining drinking in Sweden

17.11.2025 - Since 2004, alcohol consumption in Sweden has fallen by just over one fifth. Young adults and older adults now drink at increasingly similar levels. This is shown in the report Self-reported alcohol habits in Sweden 2004–2024 from CAN (the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs).

One category that reports a decline in consumption is people aged 17–29. Since 2004, the volume in this group has dropped by more than one third.

“For 20 years ago, consumption among young people was more than twice as high as in the age group 65–84, which has traditionally been the group that drinks the least,” says Ulf Guttormsson, Head of Department at CAN and author of the report.

The narrowing gap between younger and older adults is not only due to reduced consumption among young people. It is also because today’s older population has increased its consumption by more than 30 percent since 2004.

“The difference in volume between these two age groups has now been practically erased,” says Ulf Guttormsson.

Changes in drinking habits have led to people in their 70s today drinking almost 20 percent more alcohol than people in their 30s. Twenty years ago, the situation was the opposite.

However, the age groups drink in slightly different ways.

“Older adults drink more often but in smaller amounts per occasion compared to younger adults, which means their drinking habits are less oriented toward intoxication,” says Ulf Guttormsson.

The report also shows that men, at the group level, have clearly reduced their consumption. Despite this, gender differences remain large. During 2024, men’s annual consumption was 80 percent higher than women’s.

Read Self-reported alcohol habits in Sweden 2004–2024

This recurring report presents how alcohol habits have developed from 2004 to 2024 in different population groups. The data is based on self-reported information. This year’s report gives particular focus to how consumption has changed across age groups.