Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) was 3.25 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
3.25
Change on year
down 3.8%
World rank
43rd
of 188 countries
All-time high
7.85
in 1979
All-time low
3.15
in 2020
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1961–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 3.25.
That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and down 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 7.85 in 1979 and was at its lowest, 3.15, in 2020.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 43rd of 188 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.81 | — |
| 1962 | 5.77 | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 5.79 | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 6.02 | +4.0% |
| 1965 | 5.99 | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 6.12 | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 6.21 | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 6.35 | +2.3% |
| 1969 | 6.62 | +4.3% |
| 1970 | 6.8 | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 7.01 | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 7.09 | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 7.45 | +5.1% |
| 1974 | 7.61 | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 7.73 | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 7.83 | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 7.68 | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 7.77 | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 7.85 | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 7.48 | -4.7% |
| 1981 | 7.1 | -5.1% |
| 1982 | 6.86 | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 6.91 | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 6.84 | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 6.75 | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 6.73 | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 5.49 | -18.4% |
| 1988 | 5.65 | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 5.68 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 5.62 | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 5.62 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 5.47 | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 5.24 | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 5.09 | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 5.21 | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 5.29 | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 5.27 | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 5.37 | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 5.25 | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 4.97 | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 5.04 | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 5.09 | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 5.15 | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 5.09 | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 4.84 | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 4.68 | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 4.42 | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 4.18 | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 3.8 | -9.2% |
| 2010 | 3.72 | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 3.6 | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 3.4 | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 3.32 | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 3.41 | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 3.42 | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 3.4 | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 3.43 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 3.56 | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 3.57 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 3.15 | -11.6% |
| 2021 | 3.4 | +7.8% |
| 2022 | 3.52 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 3.38 | -4.0% |
| 2024 | 3.25 | -3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.08 | 5.77 | 6.62 | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.48 | 6.8 | 7.85 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.55 | 5.49 | 7.48 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.34 | 5.09 | 5.62 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.73 | 3.8 | 5.15 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.48 | 3.32 | 3.72 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.34 | 3.15 | 3.52 | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More social development data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 581,072 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 3.25 in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 7.85 in 1979.
- What is the lowest alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.15 in 2020.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure)?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 43rd out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.8%. 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 World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure alcohol), by beverage type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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