Spirits consumption per person in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Spirits consumption per person was 2.6 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022. ▲ Rising
Spirits consumption per person in United Kingdom, 1961–2022
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for spirits consumption per person in United Kingdom is 2.6 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and up 22.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spirits consumption per person in United Kingdom peaked at 2.64 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.03 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, in 1962.
United Kingdom ranks 34th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.09 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.03 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.17 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.84 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.24 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.4 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.1 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.98 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.24 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.75 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.16 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.28 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 1.97 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.19 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.03 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.4 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.61 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.59 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.64 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 31 Kazakhstan 2.8 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 32 Brazil 2.78 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 33 Serbia 2.73 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 35 Moldova 2.57 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 36 Suriname 2.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 37 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP -1.3% (2025)
- Inflation of consumer prices 3.9% (2025)
- GDP per capita 48,422 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Share of manufacturing in gross domestic product (GDP) 7.7% (2025)
- Gross domestic product (GDP) 3.36 trillion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- GDP per capita in international and market dollars 48,422 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- DEC alternative conversion factor 0.7595 LCU per US$ (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) -17.71 billion current LCU (2024)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) -22.63 billion current US$ (2024)
- Taxes less subsidies on products 297.09 billion current LCU (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spirits consumption per person in United Kingdom?
- Spirits consumption per person in United Kingdom was 2.6 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spirits consumption per person recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 2.64 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2021.
- What is the lowest spirits consumption per person recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.03 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1962.
- How does United Kingdom rank for spirits consumption per person?
- United Kingdom ranks 34th out of 187 countries with data for 2022.
- Is spirits consumption per person rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Spirits consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Spirit consumption per person, measured in liters of pure alcohol per year. Spirits are distilled alcoholic drinks and include gin, rum, whisky, tequila and vodka.