Have you ever stopped to think about your own drinking? You’re not alone. Drinkaware’s 2025 Monitor, our annual nationally representative survey into the UK’s drinking habits, reveals some fascinating insights into how people view their own drinking, and how those views compare to others across the country.
Most people don't see a problem with their drinking
According to the 2025 Monitor, most UK drinkers consume alcohol at relatively modest levels. In fact, eight in 10 (82%) drink within the Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines (no more than 14 units a week), and four in 10 (39%) typically have just one or two units when they drink.
So, it’s perhaps no surprise that the majority of people don’t feel concerned. 84% of drinkers say there’s nothing seriously wrong with their drinking, and almost nine in 10 (88%) don’t think of themselves as a “problem drinker”.
Fewer people think their drinking is 'normal'
When asked if their drinking was “fairly normal,” only 57% of UK drinkers agreed. Why might that be?
Our qualitative research shows that ideas of what “normal” looks like are often shaped by those around us:
“I think for the people around me and the people I'm close with, I'm definitely a normal drinker, but then obviously some people don't drink at all and some people drink every night.” – Female, 18–34, research participant
Other studies suggest heavier drinkers may overestimate how much others drink – because their social circle is made up of people with similar habits. This helps explain why heavier drinkers (those over the 14-unit weekly guideline) were just as likely as low-risk drinkers to say their drinking was “fairly normal” (57%).
Why perception matters
The 2025 Drinkaware Monitor also found that people who binge drink monthly or drink alone at home at least once a week were more likely to describe their drinking as “normal”.
Yet, most people don’t drink this way: two-thirds (67%) of UK adults drink less than two to three times per week, and 77% drink at home alone less often than weekly.
This shows there can be a gap between what we think is normal and what’s actually most common. And if we assume our drinking is the same as everyone else’s, we might miss opportunities to reflect and make positive changes.
Want to know more about your own drinking?
Whether you feel your drinking is “normal” or you’d simply like to learn more, our Drinking Check is a free, anonymous tool designed to help.
In just a few minutes, it gives you personalised feedback and practical advice, so you can better understand your drinking and take steps that feel right for you.