Skip to main content
Knowledge4Policy
KNOWLEDGE FOR POLICY

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Knowledge Gateway

A reference point for public health policy makers with reliable, independent and up-to date information on topics related to promotion of health and well-being.

Page | Last updated: 27 Jun 2024

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

Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway

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 hazardous consumption is defined, as more than 14 standard glasses per week or more than 5 per drinking occasion for men, and as more than 9 standard glasses per week or more than 4 in a drinking occasion for women12 g 
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)