For decades, Denmark and the UK have been known as countries where alcohol plays a big role in people’s social lives. In this way, the two countries make an interesting comparison when it comes to alcohol consumption because they both have a strong drinking culture.

For years, Denmark has appeared near the top of European rankings for teenage alcohol use, with Danish teenagers consistently reporting higher levels of drinking than their peers in much of Europe — including the UK.

Binge drinking has historically been a particular concern in the UK, especially among young adults. But drinking habits have changed substantially since the 2000s, with the proportion of UK adults who reported binge drinking in the previous week falling from around 18% in 2005 to 15% in 2013.

In England, around 21% of adults drank more than 14 units of alcohol per week in 2024. This is equivalent to roughly six pints of average-strength beer or seven standard (175ml) glasses of wine. Denmark shows similar drinking rates.

Health Gap / Sundhedskløften is a collaborative series from The Conversation UK and Denmark’s Videnskab.dk exploring what the two countries can learn from each other when it comes to health and wellbeing.

From cycling and alcohol to inequality, healthcare and everyday habits, the series looks beyond hospitals and medical treatment to explore how culture, politics and society shape the way people live – and how healthy they are.

But while people in both countries often drink more than........

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