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 g | 600 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 g | One 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 g | Half 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 g | Example: 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 g | One 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 week | 10 g | One 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 g | 10 g ( CIPH 2013 ) |
Italy | Men: up to 2 units per day Women: up to 1 unit per day | 12 g | 125 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 | |
Latvia | Do not consume alcoholic beverages, as their consumption is harmful to your health. | 12 g | |
Lithuania (pdf) | Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages | 10 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 g | One 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 days | 8 g-10 g | Half 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 g | 0.5 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 women | 10 g | |
Romania (pdf) | Drink in moderation; up to two drinks per day for men, up to one drink per day for women | 12 g | 500 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 g | 1 dl wine or 2.5 dl beer or 0.3 dl spirits |
Slovakia | |||
Finland | On average no more than 2 standard drinks per day for men, 1 standard drink per day for women | 12 g | 33 cl medium strength beer or 12 cl mild wine or 4 cl spirits |
Sweden | only 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 women | 12 g | 1 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 days | 8 g | Half pint is equivalent to 0.8 units (2.8 % abv lager) or 1.4 units (4.8 % abv lager); |
Iceland | 12 g | 300 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 week | 10-12 g | 1 beer (0.3 l) or 1 glass wine (0.1 l) or 1 glass spirits (30 ml) |
Originally Published | Last Updated | 21 Nov 2020 | 17 Oct 2024 |
Related organisation(s) | DG SANTE - DG for Health and Food Safety |
Knowledge service | Metadata | Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway | Risk factors of non-communicable diseases | Alcoholic beverages |
Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET) | health policy |