Most Danes want others to speak up if they are concerned about their drinking
29.09.2026 - A new Danish survey shows that concern about other people’s drinking is common, but many people still find it difficult to speak openly about alcohol problems.
According to the survey, commissioned by Alcohol & Samfund and carried out by Voxmeter, 66.3% of respondents said they had at some point been worried that someone they knew was drinking too much. Among those who had been concerned, almost one in three said the person they had most recently worried about was a friend. Others mentioned a partner or a parent.
Despite how common these concerns are, talking about them remains difficult. Around 67% of respondents agreed that alcohol problems can be hard to discuss within the family or close social circle, while 56.6% said alcohol problems are still a taboo subject in Denmark. Among those who had worried about another person’s drinking, only 33% had spoken directly with the person concerned, while 23.4% had not spoken to anyone about their worries.
Fear of damaging relationships appears to be an important barrier. When respondents were asked what might stop them from helping someone with an alcohol problem, 27% mentioned concern that the relationship could break down, while 26% said they might worry that they were overreacting. Some respondents also said they were unsure how serious the problem was or felt that it was not their place to interfere.
However, the picture changes when people are asked what they themselves would want. Nearly seven in ten, 68.2%, said they would want someone to tell them if they were concerned about their drinking. Only 8.2% said they would prefer others not to get involved.
Bjarne Stenger Elholm, head of Alkolinjen, said the findings show that people may be more open to these conversations than friends and relatives often assume. He stressed that raising concern does not need to mean confrontation or labelling someone’s drinking. It can begin simply by saying that you are worried and then listening.
The findings were published as Denmark begins its annual Alcohol Week in week 40. Alcohol & Samfund, together with the Danish Health Authority and participating municipalities, is using this year’s campaign to focus especially on people who are affected by someone else’s drinking. The campaign aims to reduce stigma, make difficult conversations easier and increase awareness of free counselling and treatment options.
The survey included 1,037 adults and was conducted by Voxmeter for Alcohol & Samfund between 19 and 29 June 2026.
Source: Alcohol & Samfund
