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Page | Last updated: 17 Oct 2024

National low-risk drinking recommendations (or drinking guidelines) and standard units

Examples of national low-risk drinking recommendations (or drinking guidelines if no low-risk recommendation is in place) and standard units

(based on RARHA 2016 and national nutrition recommendations or food-based dietary guidelines)

Country

Low-risk consumption

Alcohol content of a standard drink (in g)

Example of standard drink

Belgium

Men: up to 21 drinks per week

women: up to 14 drinks per week

--
Bulgaria (pdf)

Men: up to 15-16 g of alcohol per day

Women: up to 8 g of alcohol per day

-0.5 l beer (4 % abv) or 150 ml wine (10-13 % abv) or 50 ml spirits (40 % ABV).
Czech Republic (pdf)

Men up to 24 g of alcohol per day

Women up to 16 g of alcohol per day

maximum 5 days a week

16 g – 18  g600 ml beer (4 % abv;1 6 g alcohol); 200 ml wine (11 % abv; 17-18 g alcohol); 100 ml liquor (20 % abv; 18 g alcohol); 50 ml spirits (40 % abv; 16 g alcohol)
Denmark

Men and women: maximum 10 drinks per week

No more than 4 drinks in one day

Two alcohol-free days per week

12 g 
Germany

Men: maximum 2 standard units per day

Women:maximum 1 standard unit per day

At least 2 alcohol-free days per week

10 gOne small glass of beer (250 ml), one glass of wine (100 ml), one shot (40 ml) spirits.
Estonia (pdf)

Men: up to 40 g of alcohol per day

Women: up to 20g of alcohol per day

At least 3 alcohol-free days

10 gHalf a pint of beer/stout/ale or a single measure of spirits or a small glass of wine
Ireland

Men: 17 standard drinks spread out over the week

Women: 11 standard drinks spread out over the week.

At least 2 alcohol free days

10 gExample: a pub measure of spirits (35.5 ml); a small glass of wine (12.5% abv); a half pint of normal beer (ca. 280 ml); an alcopop (275 ml bottle).
Greece

Men: up to 2 glasses of wine or two drinks per day

Women up to 1 glass of wine or one drink per day

8 g (10ml)Example: 1 small (330 ml) beer, 4-5% vol; 1 glass (125 ml) wine, 11% vol; 1 glass (40 -45 ml) ouzo or other drink (i.e. whisky, gin, vodka, tequila), 40% vol.
Spain

Men: up to 20 g of alcohol per day

Women: up to 10 g of alcohol per day

10 gOne small beer (250 ml – 5% abv), half glass of wine (125 ml – 10% abv) or half a mixed drink (a long drink containing 60 ml of spirits, such as a gin tonic, accounts for 2 standard units – 40% abv)
France Not more than 10 standard drinks per week, never more than 2 standard drinks per day, and at least one alcohol-free day per week10 gOne small glass (100 ml, 12 % abv) of wine, (250 ml, 5 % abv) of beer, or a small glass (25 ml, 40 % abv) of whiskey
Croatia -10 g10 g ( CIPH 2013 )
Italy

Men: up to 2 units per day

Women: up to 1 unit per day

12 g125 ml wine or a can (330 ml) of beer
Cyprus (pdf) Men: up to 2 drinks per day; Women: up to 1 drink per day 125ml wine or 285 ml beer or 25 ml spirits
LatviaDo not consume alcoholic beverages, as their consumption is harmful to your health.12 g 
Lithuania (pdf) Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages10 g 
Luxembourg

Men: up to 2 drinks per day; 

Women up to 1 drink per day;

2 to 3 alcohol-free days per week

12 gOne small glass (250 ml) of beer, one glass (100 ml) of wine, one shot (30 - 40 ml) of spirits
Hungary---
Malta (pdf) 18-21 years old: not more than 2 units per occasion, maximum twice a week. Over 21: Men up to 21 units per week; women up to 14 units per week. Men and women: spread over 5 to 6 days8 g-10 gHalf a pint of beer or 1 wine glass or 1 tot of spirits
Netherlands Drink no alcohol or at least not more than one glass per day, men and women (nutrition recommendations)10 g 
Austria

Men: up to 24 g of alcohol per day

Women up to 16 g of alcohol per day

Two alcohol-free days per week

20 g0.5 l beer, 0.2 l wine, or 60 ml spirits
Poland Up to 40 g of alcohol per day for men, up to 20 g for women, maximum 5 days per week.10 g 
Portugal Up to 24 g alcohol per day for men, up to 16 g for women10 g 
Romania (pdf) Drink in moderation; up to two drinks per day for men, up to one drink per day for women12 g500 ml beer, 150 ml wine, or 50 ml spirits
Slovenia Up to 2 dl of wine or one bottle (5dl) of beer or 2 shots of spirits per day for men (not more than 14 units per week and not more than 5 units per occasion); up to 1 dL wine or half a bottle (2.5dl) of beer or one shot of spirits per day for women (not more than 7 units per week and not more than 3 units per occasion). At least 1-2 alcohol-free days per week.10 g1 dl wine or 2.5 dl beer or 0.3 dl spirits
Slovakia   

Finland

( FNIHW 2016 (pdf), FFSA 2016 )

On average no more than 2 standard drinks per day for men, 1 standard drink per day for women12 g33 cl medium strength beer or 12 cl mild wine or 4 cl spirits
Swedenonly risky consumption is defined, as more than 10 standard glasses per week or 4 standard glasses or more per drinking occasion once a month or more often. The limits apply to both men and women12 g1 standard glass corresponds to, e.g., 50 cl of folk beer, 33 cl of strong beer, 12–15 cl of wine or just under 4 cl of spirits
United Kingdom 14 units per week; spread over 3 or more days, and having some alcohol-free days8 gHalf pint is equivalent to 0.8 units (2.8 % abv lager) or 1.4 units (4.8 % abv lager);
Iceland 12 g300 mL of a drink with 5% abv
Norway Up to 20 g of alcohol per day for men and 10 g for women. Should not exceed 5 % energy intake.12 g, 15 g 
Switzerland Men 2-3 drinks per day; women 1-2 drinks per day. Two alcohol-free days per week10-12 g1 beer (0.3 l) or 1 glass wine (0.1 l) or 1 glass spirits (30 ml)