Australian Alcohol Consumption
DSICA makes a yearly estimate of Australians' per capita alcohol consumption as part of our Pre-Budget Submission.
We estimate adult per capita (population 15 years and over) alcohol consumption for 2009-10 in Australia at 10.47 lals. This is down from 10.62 lals adult per capita consumption in 2008-09. A time series of per capita alcohol consumption from 1973-74 to 2008-09 is set out below.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figure for alcohol consumption in 2008-09 was 10.40 lals. It should be noted that the DSICA figure covers all alcohol beverages including cider. The ABS does not include cider in its calculation.
Observations and insights in relation to this time series are:
- adult per capita alcohol consumption has fallen below levels in the 1970s;
- adult per capita consumption is now 20 per cent below its peak, reached in 1974-75;
- there has been no significant increase in adult per capita alcohol consumption since the New Tax System (NTS) reforms of 1 July 2000, which reduced tax for RTDs;
- while the reduction in RTD volumes after the RTD tax increase on 27 April 2008 was entirely offset by substitution to full-strength bottled spirits and beer, growth in alcohol volumes has been outpaced by population growth. As a result per capita consumption fell slightly in 2008-09; and
- the Global Financial Crisis and accompanying fiscal stimulus would also have impacted consumption levels, although to what degree and direction is unclear.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics issues a yearly estimate of how much alcohol is available for consumption in Australia. The latest update was released on 3 June 2011.
Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2009-10 - Catalogue # 4307.0.55.001
The ABS noted:
On a per capita basis, there were 10.4 litres of pure alcohol available for consumption per person in 2009–10, the same as in 2008–09. As a standard drink consists of 12.5 mls of pure alcohol, this is equivalent to an average of 2.3 standard drinks per day per person aged 15 years and over.
Note that these figures will overestimate the true level of alcohol consumed as beverages, as adjustments cannot be made for wastage and other factors such as the alcohol used in cooking.
At the beginning of 2011, the ABS reviewed the previous time series to allow for changes in the alcohol content of wine, and issued the extended estimate below.
Apparent Consumption of Alcohol: Extended Time Series, 1944-45 to 2008-09 Catalogue # 4307.0.55.002
