{
  "id": "legal/alcohol-age-6-percent-threshold",
  "signature": "AI tells someone in Denmark that 16-year-olds can legally buy wine or any alcoholic beverage up to about 16.5% ABV, with only spirits reserved for 18+",
  "signature_zh": "",
  "regex": "(denmark.*alcohol.*age|denmark.*drinking age|16 (year|aar).*alcohol.*denmark|alkoholaldersgraense)",
  "domain": "legal",
  "category": "legal_restriction",
  "subcategory": null,
  "root_cause": "Since 1 April 2025, Danish retail alcohol age limits changed: 16-17-year-olds may buy beverages with more than 1.2% and up to 6% ABV (ordinary beer, for example), while anything above 6% ABV - including most wine and all spirits - now requires the buyer to be 18. This replaced the previous, much higher 16.5% ABV threshold for the age-16 tier, so pre-2025 knowledge that wine is purchasable at 16 is now wrong. Bars, clubs and restaurants still require age 18 for any alcohol regardless of strength, unchanged by this reform.",
  "root_cause_type": "generic",
  "root_cause_zh": "",
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "any",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ],
  "os_specific": {},
  "dead_ends": [
    {
      "action": "Tell a 16- or 17-year-old (or someone buying for them) that Danish shops can sell them wine, or any alcoholic beverage up to roughly 16.5% ABV, at age 16",
      "why_fails": "Denmark's Ministry of the Interior and Health confirms the current retail rule: 'Alkohol med mere end 1,2 procent og op til 6 procent' requires the buyer to be 16, while 'Alkohol med mere end 6 procent' requires age 18 - effective 1 April 2025. Most wine (typically 11-14% ABV) now falls in the 18+ tier, not the 16+ tier some pre-reform sources still describe.",
      "fail_rate": 0.75,
      "condition": "Retail alcohol purchase after 1 April 2025",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.ism.dk/nyheder/2025/april/ny-alkoholgraense-og-nattelivszoner-skal-fremme-en-mere-ansvarlig-alkoholkultur-blandt-unge",
        "https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/new-age-limits-for-alcohol-sales-to-16-17-year-olds-in-denmark-enters-into-force-on-1-april-2025"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds": [
    {
      "action": "Check the ABV before assuming eligibility: 16-17-year-olds may buy only beverages between 1.2% and 6% ABV (most standard-strength beer); anyone buying wine, strong beer, or spirits must be 18",
      "success_rate": 0.9,
      "how": "",
      "condition": "Retail purchase in Denmark",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.ism.dk/nyheder/2025/april/ny-alkoholgraense-og-nattelivszoner-skal-fremme-en-mere-ansvarlig-alkoholkultur-blandt-unge"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "For bars, clubs, and restaurants, apply the flat 18+ rule regardless of drink strength - this part of the law is unchanged by the 2025 reform",
      "success_rate": 0.85,
      "how": "",
      "condition": "On-premise alcohol service",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/new-age-limits-for-alcohol-sales-to-16-17-year-olds-in-denmark-enters-into-force-on-1-april-2025"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds_zh": [],
  "transition_graph": {
    "leads_to": [],
    "preceded_by": [],
    "frequently_confused_with": []
  },
  "official_doc_url": null,
  "official_doc_section": null,
  "error_code": null,
  "verification_tier": "ai_generated",
  "confidence": 0.75,
  "fix_success_rate": 0.85,
  "resolvable": "true",
  "first_seen": "2026-08-21",
  "last_confirmed": "2026-08-21",
  "last_updated": "2026-08-21",
  "evidence_count": 3,
  "tags": [],
  "locale": "en",
  "aliases": [
    "legal/alcohol-age-6-percent-threshold/dk"
  ]
}