New figures on Danes’ alcohol habits are broadly positive, but concerns remain

Maria Koch Aabel, director of Alkohol & Samfund

12.03.2026 - New figures suggest there have been small improvements in Danes’ alcohol habits. But Denmark still remains a country with high alcohol consumption, and among young people the trend appears to be moving in the wrong direction.

According to new data from the National Health Profile 2025, the share of Danes drinking more than 10 units of alcohol per week has fallen. Back in 2010, 24.6 percent of Danes drank above that level. By 2025, the figure had dropped to 14.4 percent. There has also been a slight decline since the last measurement in 2021, when the figure stood at 15.7 percent.

Alkohol & Samfund describes this as an encouraging development, although progress remains slow. “It is hugely positive that the share of Danes with a high alcohol intake is falling. But this is a slow development over many years, and Denmark still has an alcohol culture that ranks among the highest in Europe,” said Maria Koch Aabel, director of Alkohol & Samfund.

The figures also show a small decline in the share of people who binge drink weekly, defined here as consuming five or more drinks on the same occasion. That proportion fell from 9.1 percent in 2021 to 8.6 percent in 2025. However, when looking specifically at young people aged 16 to 24, the trend is less positive.

Among young people, there has been a slight increase between 2021 and 2025. In 2025, 22.5 percent of young men and 16.1 percent of young women reported binge drinking. In 2021, the corresponding figures were 19.1 percent and 12.5 percent.

Maria Koch Aabel said the rise among young people is worrying. As quoted by Alkohol & Samfund, she said this shows there is still a strong need to change alcohol culture among young people, and also more broadly across society.

Overall, the figures may indicate that there has not actually been any major decline in alcohol consumption among young people since 2017, as the 2021 data were collected during the COVID-19 period and may therefore not reflect normal patterns.

According to Alkohol & Samfund, lasting change in Denmark’s alcohol culture will also require political action. The organisation points in particular to lower availability of alcohol, less marketing, and higher alcohol prices as important measures.

The National Health Profile also shows that more of the Danes who drink more than 10 units per week would like to reduce their consumption. Alkohol & Samfund sees this as another positive sign, pointing to a need for better support for people who want to change their drinking habits.

“We are on the right track, but if we truly want to change alcohol culture in Denmark, it requires that we continue the effort, both through structural political measures and through support for those who want to change their alcohol consumption,” Maria Koch Aabel said.

---

Source: Alkohol & Samfund