4307.0.55.001 - Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2015-16  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 01/09/2017   
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SUMMARY

There were 189.1 million litres of pure alcohol available for consumption from alcoholic beverages in Australia in 2015-16. This was an increase from the amount available for consumption in 2014-15 (182.7 million litres), which is the first increase since 2006-07.

The volume of pure alcohol available for consumption in the form of beer increased by 4.5% between 2014-15 and 2015-16. The volume of pure alcohol available for consumption in the form of Ready to Drink (pre-mixed beverages) also increased by 3.1% and spirits by 3.6% during this period.

Of all pure alcohol available for consumption in 2015-16, beer contributed 39.9%, wine 37.5%, spirits and RTDs 18.8% and cider 3.8%.

On a per capita basis there were 9.7 litres of pure alcohol available for consumption per person in 2015-16, slightly more than the amount in 2014-15 (9.5 litres), however still less than the amount in 2013-14 (9.8 litres). As a standard drink consists of 12.5 mls of pure alcohol, this is equivalent to an average of 2.1 standard drinks per day per person aged 15 years and over, which is unchanged from 2014-15. Note that these figures will overestimate the true level of alcohol consumed as beverages, as adjustments have not been made for storage, wastage and other factors such as for alcohol used in cooking.

TABLE 1: PURE ALCOHOL AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMPTION

Year ended 30 June
Beer
Wine(a)
Spirits
RTDs(b)
Cider(c)
Total

VOLUME OF PURE ALCOHOL ('000 litres)

2011
r77 213
68 000
r24 032
r12 812
r2 731
r184 789
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
75 585
75 116
r75 862
72 102
75 371
69 044
68 719
68 890
70 219
70 862
r23 080
r24 031
23 174
23 436
24 280
12 490
12 130
11 610
10 962
11 301
3 063
r4 140
r5 027
6 008
7 273
r183 263
r184 136
r184 563
182 728
189 087

PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF PURE ALCOHOL(d) (litres)

2011
r4.30
3.79
1.34
0.71
0.15
r10.29
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
4.14
4.04
4.01
3.76
3.87
3.78
r3.69
3.64
3.66
3.64
1.26
1.29
1.23
1.22
1.25
0.68
0.65
0.61
0.57
0.58
0.17
r0.22
r0.27
0.31
0.37
10.04
r9.90
r9.76
9.52
9.70

r revised (see paragraph 5 to 7 of the Explanatory Notes).
(a) Due to the changes in survey design between 2013-14 and 2015-16 and the interpolation method applied to calculate 2014-15 domestic wine data, comparisons between these years should be interpreted with caution (for details, see paragraphs 19 to 25 of the Explanatory Notes).
(b) Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) beverages.
(c) See paragraphs 34 to 37 of the Explanatory Notes for information on how estimates of cider were calculated.
(d) Litres per person aged 15 years and over.

Graph Image for Apparent Consumption of Pure Alcohol, per capita(a) - Year ended 30 June 2011 to 2016

Footnote(s): (a) Litres per person aged 15 years and over. (b) Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) beverages.

Source(s): Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2015-16