4307.0.55.001 - Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2009-10 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/06/2011   
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MEDIA RELEASE
3 June, 2011
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
70/2011

Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) beverages down, wine consumption up

Apparent consumption of Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) (RTDs) beverages decreased 1.9% in 2009-10, following a fall of 30% in the previous year, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In 2009-10 there were 12.8 million litres of pure alcohol available for consumption in Australia from RTDs, compared with 13.1 million litres in 2008-09. At the same time, apparent consumption of spirits increased slightly (up 0.7% in 2009-10), following an increase of 13% in the previous year.

Apparent consumption of wine also continued to increase, accounting for 37% of all pure alcohol available for consumption in 2009-10. There was little change in apparent consumption of beer, which accounted for 44% of all pure alcohol available for consumption.

Overall, there were 10.4 litres of pure alcohol available for consumption per person aged 15 years and over in 2009–10, the same as in 2008-09. This equates to around 2.3 standard drinks per person per day.

Further information is available in Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2009-10 (cat. no. 4307.0.55.001).

Media note:
  • Estimates of 'apparent consumption' are obtained from information related to supply (for example, excise data on alcohol produced for domestic consumption, and data on imports) and do not represent actual consumption. No account is taken of changes in stocks, duty-free alcohol imported by individual overseas travellers, or for alcohol that has been stored or cellared, used in the preparation of food or discarded as waste. All alcohol available for consumption in a particular year is assumed to have been consumed in that year.
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.