Denmark now has the lowest condom use in the Nordic region, with usage falling for three consecutive years while neighboring countries see increases. Young Danes are driving the decline, raising alarm about sexually transmitted infections.
I moved to Denmark expecting a society that had sex education figured out. The country has universal healthcare, a reputation for progressive values, and pharmacies on every corner. So it comes as a genuine surprise that Denmark now ranks dead last in the Nordics when it comes to condom use.
The Numbers Tell an Uncomfortable Story
According to a new survey from RFSU, the Swedish condom manufacturer and sexual health organization, only 37 percent of Danes aged 16 to 65 used a condom in the past year. That is the lowest level in several years and the worst performance across all Nordic countries.
Meanwhile, condom use is rising elsewhere in the region. Norway jumped from 35 to 40 percent in just one year, reaching its highest level in five years. Sweden and Finland show stable or improving numbers. Denmark is the outlier, moving in the opposite direction for three years running.
Young Danes Are Leading the Decline
The sharpest drop is among Danish teenagers. In 2024, 65 percent of 16 to 20 year olds reported using a condom in the past year. The year before, it was 74 percent. That is not a minor blip. That is a collapse in protective behavior among the age group most at risk.
Only half of young Danes now use condoms with a new partner. That figure was 61 percent just one year ago. At sexual debut, condom use among Danish teens fell from 74 to 64 percent, while use rose among young people in other Nordic countries.
As reported by Sex & Samfund, Denmark’s leading sexual health organization, many young people find it harder to suggest condoms the second time if they were not used the first time. Once a pattern is set, breaking it feels awkward. That makes the first encounter critical, yet fewer young Danes are getting it right.
A Nordic Outlier With a Health Risk
Denmark has long prided itself on being sexually progressive. Yet this data suggests something is broken. Free HPV vaccines and easy access to hormonal birth control are available, but condoms are the only method that protects against both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
According to RFSU, Danish sales of condoms have also dropped slightly. The organization’s head of brand and communication noted that while young people across the Nordics are leading the increase in condom use, young Danes are going the other way.
WHO Warns of Broader European Trend
Denmark is not alone in facing declining condom use among adolescents, but it is falling faster than most. A 2024 WHO report found that condom use among sexually active 15 year olds dropped from 70 to 61 percent among boys and 63 to 57 percent among girls between 2014 and 2022 across Europe and Central Asia.
WHO described the trend as an alarming decline. Nearly 30 percent of young people now report using neither condoms nor contraceptive pills during their last sexual encounter. That figure has barely changed since 2018, suggesting the problem is not just about switching methods. Many young people are simply having unprotected sex.
The health consequences are predictable. WHO warns of increased risk of sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV, as well as unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. In Denmark, where chlamydia is already common and often symptomless, the rising rates of unprotected sex could lead to more cases of infertility down the line.
Why Danes Are Saying No to Condoms
Denmark has one of the highest overall contraception rates in the Nordics, driven largely by widespread use of hormonal birth control. That explains part of the condom decline. Danes are protecting themselves against pregnancy, just not against infections.
But there is more to it. Research among young Scandinavians shows that attitudes matter. Many young people find condoms uncomfortable, worry about losing spontaneity, or feel embarrassed buying them. Even when they support condom use in principle, negotiating it in the moment can feel difficult.
Sex & Samfund points out that most young Danes view someone who suggests using a condom as responsible and considerate. Yet only 47 percent of young Danes found it easy to actually propose it. The barrier is internal, not social. That suggests the solution lies in building confidence and communication skills, not just handing out information.
What Comes Next
RFSU and Sex & Samfund are pushing for stronger sexual education in schools, easier access to free condoms, and youth friendly health services. Sex & Samfund plans to distribute thousands of condoms at summer festivals this year, combining outreach with conversations about safer sex.
WHO recommends comprehensive, age appropriate sexual education covering contraception, consent, gender roles, and LGBTQIA+ issues. It also calls for anonymous counseling and condom distribution through youth clinics. Denmark has the infrastructure for this. The question is whether there is political will to act.
For now, Denmark holds a Nordic record it cannot be proud of. Condom use is falling just as neighbors are turning the trend around. If the pattern continues, more young Danes will face infections, unplanned pregnancies, and long term health complications that could have been prevented.
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