Alcohol consumption per person in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Alcohol consumption per person was 10.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
10.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
18th
of 185 countries
All-time high
12.51 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2004
All-time low
10.44 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2013
Years of data
21
2000–2020
Alcohol consumption per person in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2020
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 10.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age for alcohol consumption per person in 2020.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol consumption per person in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 12.51 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2004 and was at its lowest, 10.44 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age, in 2013.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 18th of 185 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol consumption per person in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.28 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | — |
| 2001 | 12.28 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12.42 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 12.5 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 12.51 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 12.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 12.19 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 11.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 11.61 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 11.25 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 10.95 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 10.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 10.57 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 10.44 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 10.44 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 10.52 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 10.64 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 10.77 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 10.82 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 10.82 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 10.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.14 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 11.25 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 12.51 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.68 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10.44 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10.95 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 15 Lao People's Democratic Republic 10.82 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 15 Luxembourg 10.82 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 17 Ireland 10.77 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 19 Estonia 10.68 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 20 Slovakia 10.67 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 21 Russian Federation 10.53 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 14.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0427 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 2,458 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 9.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.2123 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 12,226 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 6.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 0.1612 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol consumption per person in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Alcohol consumption per person in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 10.73 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest alcohol consumption per person recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 12.51 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2004.
- What is the lowest alcohol consumption per person recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.44 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2013.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for alcohol consumption per person?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 18th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol consumption per person rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Alcohol consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated consumption of alcohol is measured in liters of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older, per year.