Apparent Consumption of Selected Foodstuffs, Australia

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Provides experimental estimates of apparent consumption per capita of selected foods based on sales of products in Australia

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Reference period
2024-25 financial year
Release date and time
30/10/2026 11:30am AEDT

Key statistics

  • 15.6 million tonnes of food and non-alcoholic beverages were sold in 2024-25, an increase of 2.2% from 2023-24
  • Three-quarters of the increase in the total weight of food sold came from non-alcoholic beverages and milk products
  • Total dietary energy available averaged 8,447 kJ per capita per day, down 0.5% from 2023-24 (8,494 kJ)
  • Discretionary foods contributed 37.5% of total dietary energy available, similar to 2023-24 (37.6%). 

About Apparent Consumption

Apparent consumption in this publication measures the amount of food and non-alcoholic beverages purchased from the food retail sector. This includes major supermarkets and smaller outlets such as convenience stores, butchers, seafood shops, bakeries, delis and fresh food markets.

The reporting periods in this publication are financial years ending in June, from 2018-19 to 2024-25, and the calendar months within each financial year.

Apparent consumption data does not include:

  • food purchased from fast food outlets, cafes, restaurants or institutions using catering services that source food from non-supermarket suppliers
  • food obtained through other means, such as home growing, foraging, hunting or fishing.

Apparent consumption is not adjusted for:

  • food purchased for storage, or food consumed from existing stocks
  • food that is discarded or otherwise not consumed by humans.

Because of these scope limitations, apparent consumption data does not provide a complete picture of total dietary consumption or the consumption patterns of individuals or population groups. However, it provides insights into the average amount of food available from Australia’s retail sector and how this is changing over time.

For more information on the scope and methods of this study, see the Methodology, for technical terms and foodgroup definitions see the Glossary. 

Apparent consumption by weight

In 2024-25, an estimated 15.5 million tonnes of food and non-alcoholic beverages were sold through supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores and specialty food stores in Australia. This was an increase of 2.3% (341,600 tonnes) from 2023-24.

On a per capita basis, apparent consumption averaged just over 1.5 kg per day in 2024-25, reaching 1,551 grams per capita per day. This represents an increase of 13 grams (0.9%) from 1,537 grams in 2023-24. Despite this increase, the 2024-25 per capita consumption remained around 2% lower than the average for the three years from 2019-20 to 2021-22.

Major food groups

Among the major food groups, the largest increases in consumption by weight between 2023-24 and 2024-25 were: 

  • Non-alcoholic beverages up 13.2 grams to 417.9 grams per capita, a 3.3% increase 
  • Milk products up 3.2 grams to 271.4 grams (1.2%)
  • Fruit products up 1.9 grams to 138.1 grams (1.4%).

The largest decreases were:

  • Vegetable products, down 3.1 grams to 180.9 grams per capita per day (-1.7%) 
  • Cereals and cereal products, down 1.9 grams to 125.8 grams (-1.5%) 
  • Egg products, down 1.0 gram to 18.5 grams (-5.1%).

(a) Per capita, per day.

In percentage terms, the largest increases were:

  • Seed and nut products up 15.1% (2.4 grams) to 18.3 grams per capita per day
  • Special dietary foods (protein powders and protein drinks) up 13.3% (0.2 grams) to 1.7 grams
  • Non-alcoholic beverages up 3.3% (13.2 grams) to 417.9 grams 
  • Fruit products up 1.4% (1.9 grams) to 138.1 grams. 

The largest percentage decreases were: 

  • Infant formulae and foods down 9.5% (0.2 grams) to 1.9 grams per capita per day
  • Egg products down 5.1% (1.0 grams) to 18.5 grams 
  • Snack foods (mainly corn chips) down 2.5% (0.4 grams) to 15.8 grams
  • Fats and oils down 2.4% (0.5 grams) to 20.1 grams.

Selected sub-major food groups

Non-alcoholic beverages

The increase in per capita consumption of non-alcoholic beverages between 2023-24 and 2024-25 was driven by:

  • Bottled water, up 7.0 grams to 148.3 grams per capita per day (5.0%)
  • Soft drinks, up 4.0 grams to 168.9 grams (2.4%)
  • Electrolyte and energy drinks, up 2.7 grams to 27.7 grams (10.8%).

These increases were partly offset by a decline in 100% fruit and vegetable juices, down 1.5 grams to 32.5 grams per capita per day (-4.4%).

Over the seven years from 2018-19 to 2024-25, notable trends included:

  • Bottled water, up 14.5 grams per capita per day (10.8%)
  • Electrolyte and energy drinks, up 12.5 grams (82%) 
  • 100% fruit and vegetable juices, down 4.6 grams (-12.4%), with most of the decline occurring since 2021-22.

(a) Per capita per day.

Coconut water

Coconut water is classified within the nuts and nut products sub-major group in the AUSNUT food classification. It is presented here because this beverage has become increasingly popular in recent years.

In 2024-25, coconut water consumption averaged 7.3 grams per capita per day, 46% higher than in 2023-24 and 135% higher than in 2018-19, when consumption averaged 3.1 grams.

(a) Per capita per day.

Milk products

The main contributors to the rise in per capita consumption of milk products between 2023-24 and 2024-25 were: 

  • Yoghurt, up 2.1 grams to 26.1 grams per capita per day (8.8%) 
  • Cheese, up 0.4 grams to 21.7 grams (1.9%). 

Dairy milk also increased, but the rise was just 0.2 grams per capita per day. This follows a steep decline in the preceding years. Between 2018-19 and 2024-25, milk consumption has fallen 16.3 grams to 175.3 grams per capita per day (-8.5%). 

(a) per capita per day.

Fruit products

Fruit consumption increased modestly between 2023-24 and 2024-25, up 1.9 grams (1.4%) per capita per day. The increase was mainly driven by:

  • Citrus fruit (up 1.6 grams to 18.9 grams per capita per day (9.2%)
  • Other fruit (driven by kiwifruit and grapes), up 0.7 grams to 29.1 grams per capita per day (2.5%).

In contrast, berry fruit consumption fell by 0.4 grams to 14.5 grams per capita per day (-2.7%).

Over the longer term, fruit consumption fell by 8.7 grams per capita per day between 2018-19 and 2024-25. Berry fruit was the only category to increase over this period, rising by 2.3 grams per capita per day (18.9%).

(a) per capita per day.

Vegetables

Vegetable consumption dropped by 3.1 grams per capita (-1.7%) between 2023-24 and 2024-25 to around 181 grams per capita per day. 

The largest declines were: 

  • Other fruiting vegetables (mainly avocado and pumpkin), down 1.4 grams to 38.8 grams per capita per day (-3.5%)
  • Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and similar brassica vegetables, down 0.5 grams to 12.5 grams (-3.8%) 
  • Peas and beans, down 0.4 grams to 5.2 grams (-7.1%) 
  • Carrot and similar root vegetables, down 0.4 grams to 21.5 grams (-1.8%).

Smaller decreases occurred in:

  • Other vegetables and vegetable combinations, down 0.3 grams to 22.2 grams per capita (-1.3%)
  • Tomato and tomato products, down 0.3 grams to 23.0 grams (-1.3%) 
  • Potatoes, chips and other potato products, down 0.2 grams to 39.2 grams (-0.5%).

Leaf and stalk vegetables were the only sub-major vegetable category not to decline, remaining relatively unchanged at 12.7 grams per capita per day (up 0.1 gram or 0.8%).

The decline in vegetable consumption in the 2024-25 year is a continuation of the longer-term decrease seen since 2018-19, with vegetables falling from 192.2 grams to 180.9 grams per capita per day (-5.9%).

The largest declines in vegetable consumption over the seven years from 2018-19 to 2024-25 were from: 

  • Carrot and similar root vegetables down 4.0 grams to 21.5 grams per capita, a 15.7% decrease
  • Peas and beans down 2.4 grams to 5.2 grams (-31.6%)
  • Other fruiting vegetables down 1.8 grams to 38.8 grams (-4.4%) 
  • Tomato and tomato products down 1.7 grams to 23.0 grams (-6.9%). 

(a) per capita per day.

Meat and poultry products

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, consumption of meat and poultry products remained relatively steady overall, increasing by 0.5 grams (0.4%) to 141.6 grams per capita per day. Beneath this overall stability, longer-term trends continued, with consumption of beef and poultry increasing and consumption of sausages and processed meats declining.

Contributing to the most recent increase were:

  • Beef, lamb and pork, including mixed dishes, up 1.4 grams (2.8%) to 52.0 grams per capita per day. This was driven mainly by an increase of 2.1 grams (8.3%) in beef products, partly offset by a decrease of 1.0 gram (-10.4%) in lamb
  • Poultry, including mixed dishes, up 1.1 grams (1.8%) to 61.2 grams per capita per day.

In contrast, consumption of sausages, frankfurts and processed meats declined by 2.0 grams (-6.7%) to 27.8 grams per capita per day.

Over the seven years from 2018-19 to 2024-25:

  • Poultry, including mixed dishes, increased by 7.1 grams (13.1%)
  • Beef, lamb and pork, including mixed dishes, increased by 2.4 grams per capita per day (4.8%) 
  • Sausages, frankfurts and processed meats declined by 5.8 grams (-17.3%). 

(a) per capita per day.

Cereals and cereal products

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, consumption of cereals and cereal products decreased by 1.9 grams (-1.5%) to 125.8 grams per capita per day. This was the lowest annual level since 2018-19 and continued the longer-term decline in consumption of regular breads and bread rolls seen over the previous six years.

Contributing to the decrease were:

  • Regular breads and bread rolls, down 2.2 grams (-4.2%) to 50.0 grams per capita per day
  • Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, down 0.2 grams (-1.7%) to 11.5 grams.

These decreases were partly offset by increases in:

  • Flour, rice and other grains, up 0.3 grams (1.0%) to 31.6 grams per capita per day
  • Flat breads and savoury or sweet breads, up 0.2 grams (1.3%) to 15.2 grams.

Over the full period from 2018-19 to 2024-25, the largest change was a decline in regular breads and bread rolls, down 6.9 grams (12.1%) to 50.0 grams per capita per day. In contrast, flat breads and savoury or sweet breads increased by 1.6 grams (11.8%) to 15.2 grams. 

(a) per capita per day.

Cereal-based products

In contrast to the more basic cereals and cereal products group, the similarly named cereal-based products group consists of more processed products such as biscuits, cakes, pastries and cereal-based mixed dishes.

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, consumption of cereal-based products decreased by 0.6 grams (-1.0%) to 62.1 grams per capita per day.

The decrease was spread across several product groups, including:

  • Sweet biscuits, down 0.3 grams (-2.2%) to 13.6 grams per capita per day
  • Pastries and batter-based products, each down 0.2 grams.

These decreases were partly offset by an increase in cereal-based mixed dishes, up 0.2 grams (1.6%) to 13.0 grams per capita per day.

Over the full period from 2018-19 to 2024-25, cereal-based mixed dishes were the only major cereal-based product group to record a substantial increase, rising by 1.3 grams (11.1%) to 13.0 grams per capita per day.

In contrast, consumption decreased for several other cereal-based products, including:

  • Savoury biscuits, down 0.7 grams (-8.0%) to 8.0 grams per capita per day
  • Cakes, muffins and scones, down 0.6 grams (-6.7%) to 8.3 grams
  • Pastries, down 0.8 grams (-5.2%) to 14.5 grams.

(a) per capita per day.

Fats and oils

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, consumption of fats and oils decreased by 0.5 grams (2.4%) to 20.1 grams per capita per day.

The decrease was mainly due to:

  • Margarine and table spreads, down 0.3 grams (7.7%) to 3.6 grams per capita per day
  • Plant oils, down 0.2 grams (2.1%) to 9.3 grams.

(a) per capita per day.

Among the leading plant oils, consumption of olive oil increased slightly from 3.6 to 3.7 grams per capita per day, partly offsetting small declines in canola oil (-0.15 grams) and vegetable oil (-0.11 grams), while consumption of the other major plant oils changed little.

(a) per capita per day.

Confectionery

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, consumption of confectionery decreased by 0.2 grams (0.7%) to 29.1 grams per capita per day. The decrease was entirely due to chocolate, which fell by 0.3 grams (1.8%) to 16.4 grams per capita per day.

Despite falling by 1.1 grams (6.3%) from its peak of 17.5 grams per capita per day in 2022-23, chocolate consumption in 2024-25 remained 4.5% higher than in 2018-19. 

(a) per capita per day.

Snack foods

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, consumption of snack foods decreased by 0.4 grams (2.5%) to 15.8 grams per capita per day. Despite the most recent decrease, consumption remained 1.1 grams (7.5%) higher than in 2018-19.

The decrease in 2024-25 was driven mainly by corn snacks, down 0.3 grams (7.3%) to 3.8 grams per capita per day.

(a) per capita per day.

Sugar products

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, consumption of sugar products decreased by 0.4 grams (1.9%) to 20.4 grams per capita per day. This continued the longer-term decline, with consumption down 3.2 grams (13.6%) since 2019-20.

Sugar (mainly white and raw sugar), accounted for most of the latest decline, decreasing by 0.3 grams (3.0%) between 2023-24 and 2024-25.

(a) per capita per day.

Dietary energy

In 2024-25, total dietary energy from food and non-alcoholic beverage sales in the food retail sector averaged 8,447 kJ per capita per day, down 47 kilojoules (0.5%) from 2023-24. 

(a) per capita per day.

In 2024-25, over half of total dietary energy available came from four major food groups:

  • Cereals and cereal products (18.9% of dietary energy)
  • Milk products (14.2%)
  • Meat and poultry products (12.4%)
  • Cereal-based products (10.2%).

(a) per capita per day.

The sub-major food groups with the largest increases in dietary energy compared with 2023-24 were:

  • beef, lamb and pork, including mixed dishes, up 10.0 kJ to 382 kJ per capita per day
  • poultry, including mixed dishes, up 9.0 kJ to 419 kJ
  • yoghurt, up 8.2 kJ to 110 kJ.

In contrast, the largest decreases were:

  • Regular breads and bread rolls, down 23 kJ to 523 kJ per capita per day
  • Sausages, frankfurts and processed meat, down 17.6 kJ to 246 kJ
  • Margarine and table spreads, down 8.8 kJ to 87 kJ
  • Plant oils, down 7.0 kJ to 344 kJ.

From 2018-19 to 2024-25, total dietary energy decreased by 150 kJ per capita per day (-1.7%). The sub-major food groups contributing most to this decline were:

  • Regular breads and bread rolls, down 74.1 kJ to 523 kJ per capita per day (-12.4%)
  • Plant oils, down 47.9 kJ to 344.4 kJ (-12.2%)
  • Sausages, frankfurts and processed meat, down 47.5 kJ to 246.3 kJ (-16.2%)
  • Dairy milk, down 37.4 kJ to 448.6 kJ (-7.7%)
  • Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, down 30.8 kJ to 177.4 kJ (-14.8%).

The sub-major food groups contributing more dietary energy per capita in 2024-25 than in 2018-19 included:

  • poultry, including mixed dishes, up 53.9 kJ to 419.3 kJ per capita per day (14.8%)
  • beef, lamb and pork, including mixed dishes, up 33.8 kJ to 381 kJ (10.0%).

Macronutrient contribution to total dietary energy available

Dietary energy from food and beverages comes from carbohydrate, protein and fat, as well as dietary fibre and alcohol (note: alcoholic beverages are out of scope in this data. See Methodology for more information). 

In 2024-25, the contribution of each macronutrient to the total dietary energy available from all food and non-alcoholic beverages sold in the food retail sector was:

  • 43.5% from carbohydrate, including 20.7% from sugars
  • 38.3% from fat, including 15.7% from saturated and trans fats
  • 15.6% from protein
  • 1.9% from dietary fibre.

From 2018-19 to 2024-25, the relative contribution of carbohydrate to dietary energy has decreased 0.5 by percentage points, while protein and fat increased by 0.3 percentage points each. The decrease in carbohydrate was mainly driven by sugars which declined 0.7 percentage points (from 21.4% to 20.7%).

An imbalance among relative proportions of macronutrients is considered a risk factor for nutrient deficiencies and chronic disease[1]. Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDRs) specify the recommended proportion of total dietary energy derived from each macronutrient. Compared to the AMDRs, the proportion of energy available from:

  • protein (15.6%) was within the range (15-25%)
  • carbohydrate (43.5%) was below the range (45-65%) 
  • fat (38.3%) was above the range (20-35%). 

Comparisons against the AMDRs should be interpreted with caution, as these data reflect only part of the total food supply. Alcoholic beverages are entirely out of scope and therefore contribute no dietary energy to these estimates. As a result, the relative contribution of carbohydrate, protein and fat to total dietary energy is not directly comparable with AMDRs, which are based on total dietary energy intake from all sources. 

Proportion of total energy%
Macronutrient2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25AMDR
Protein15.315.215.315.315.315.515.615-25
Carbohydrate44.044.043.543.743.843.643.545-65
Total sugars21.421.121.020.820.820.620.7n.a.
Total Fat38.038.338.538.338.338.438.320-35
Saturated and trans fats15.515.515.615.615.615.715.7<10
Dietary Fibre1.91.91.91.91.91.91.9n.a.

Australian Dietary Guidelines

Five food groups

The Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) recommend Australians “enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from the five food groups every day”. The five food groups are: 

  • Grain (cereal) foods
  • Vegetables and legumes/beans
  • Fruit
  • Milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives
  • Lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans (lean meats and alternatives).

The ADG include minimum recommended daily serves for each of the five food groups. Recommendations vary by age, sex and life stage, such as pregnancy and lactation, reflecting differences in nutrient requirements across the life course.

A serve is defined by the weight or volume of a food, taking account of its nutrient and energy density. For example, in the grain and cereal food group, a serve of cooked rice is around 75 grams, equivalent to a serve of bread weighing 40 grams.

In this analysis, average recommended serves for each of the five food groups are compared with the daily per capita serves available from non-discretionary foods. Average recommended serves were calculated by weighting the ADG recommendations for each age and sex group by the corresponding Estimated Resident Population. See the Glossary for more information.

It is important to note that apparent consumption in this analysis is based on sales data rather than individual food consumption and reflects only part of the total food supply. Per capita values are also derived from national totals rather than individual dietary intakes. As a result, comparisons between per capita apparent consumption and average recommended serves are not a reliable indicator of the proportion of the population meeting the ADG minimum recommended serves and should be interpreted with caution. See Methodology for more information.

Compared with the average recommended serves per day, apparent consumption per capita per day for all Australians in 2024-25 was:

  • 3.8 serves of grains and cereals (average recommendation 5.5 serves)
  • 2.3 serves of vegetables and legumes/beans (average recommendation 5.0 serves)
  • 1.3 serves of fruit (average recommendation 2.0 serves)
  • 1.5 serves of milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives (average recommendation 3.0 serves)
  • 1.8 serves of lean meats and alternatives (average recommendation 2.5 serves).

These serving amounts were largely similar to 2023-24, with the greatest difference being a slight decrease in grains and cereals, down 0.06 serve (-1.6%). Despite increased consumption of meats such as beef and poultry, apparent consumption of lean meats and alternatives was essentially unchanged, increasing by less than 1%, as these increases were partly offset by lower egg consumption. 

Grains/cereals

The ADG recommends that grain and cereal foods be mostly wholegrain or high fibre rather than refined or low fibre [2].

In 2024-25, 27.3% of apparent consumption serves from the grains and cereals food group were wholegrain or high fibre. This proportion has declined from 32.1% in 2018-19. 

Fruit

The ADG recommends that fruit juice and dried fruit be consumed only occasionally as substitutes for fresh, frozen or canned fruit [3].

In 2024-25, just over two-thirds (68.1%) of fruit serves came from fresh, frozen or canned fruit products. This was unchanged from 2023-24 and higher than in any earlier year.

The share of fruit serves from dried fruit continued to decline, falling to 9.5% from 11.2% in 2018-19. The share from fruit juice rose slightly from 22.1% to 22.4%, despite Table 1.1 showing a decline in consumption of 100% fruit and vegetable juice. This reflected increased consumption of coconut water/juice, which is classified as non-discretionary fruit juice in the 2023 ADG dataset.

Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans

The ADG recommends eating a variety of foods from this food group, including lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans [4]. 

In 2024-25, red meat and poultry accounted for almost two-thirds (65.7%) of apparent consumption serves from this food group, comprising 34.4% from red meat and 31.3% from poultry. Fish and seafood accounted for 6.9% and eggs for 7.7%, while nuts and seeds (15.5%) and legumes as a meat alternative (4.2%) together accounted for around one-fifth (19.7%) of serves.

The composition of the food group has changed relatively little since 2018-19. The most notable changes were a decline in the share from nuts and seeds, from 16.9% in 2018-19 to 15.5% in 2024-25, and an increase in poultry from 29.1% to 31.3%. The shares from red meat, fish and seafood, eggs, and legumes remained broadly stable.

Discretionary foods

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that consumption of discretionary foods, such as biscuits, confectionery, pastries, processed meats, salty snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, should be limited in amount and frequency because they can displace healthier foods from the diet. Discretionary foods are typically low in essential nutrients and high in energy, saturated fat, added sugar and/or added salt [5]. 

In 2024-25, discretionary foods accounted for 37.5% of total dietary energy available from food and non-alcoholic beverages sold. This was slightly lower than in 2023-24 (37.6%) but slightly higher than the average (37.4%) over the six previous years from 2018-19 to 2023-24.  

In 2024-25, just under half of discretionary energy came from seven sub-major food groups: 

  • Chocolate (10.8%)
  • Sweet biscuits (8.4%)
  • Sausages, frankfurts and processed meats (7.6%)
  • Sugar, honey and syrups (6.1%)
  • Potato snacks (6.0%)
  • Soft drinks (5.0%)
  • Frozen milk products (4.9%).

Compared with 2018-19, the largest declines in contributions to discretionary dietary energy were:

  • Sausages, frankfurts and processed meat, down from 9.0% to 7.6%
  • Sugar, honey and syrups, down from 7.0% to 6.1% 
  • Soft drinks, down from 5.7% to 5.0%. 

Conversely, the largest increases were from:

  • Potato snacks, up from 5.2% to 6.0%
  • Salad dressing, up from 1.8% to 2.4%
  • Electrolyte and energy drinks, up from 0.6% to 1.1%.

Selected non-alcoholic beverages

The volumes of non-alcoholic beverages presented in this publication are based solely on sales through the food retail sector and exclude sales through restaurants, fast food outlets and cafes. The estimates also exclude tap water. As a result, the estimates substantially underrepresent total beverage consumption. 

In 2024-25, apparent consumption of selected non-alcoholic beverages averaged 426 mL per capita per day, up 15.5 mL (3.8%) from 410.6 mL in 2023-24. This was the highest level over the seven years from 2018-19 to 2024-25.

In 2024-25, over 90% of the daily per capita volume of the non-alcoholic beverages came from:

  • Soft drinks: 167.4 mL (39.2%)
  • Bottled water: 148.3 mL (34.8%)
  • 100% fruit and vegetable juices: 31 mL (7.3%)
  • Flavoured milks and milkshakes: 18.5 mL (4.3%)
  • Energy drinks:  15.9 mL (3.7%)
  • Fruit and vegetable drinks: 15.7 mL (3.7%).

(a) per capita per day.

The largest increases in daily per capita volumes between 2023-24 and 2024-25 were:

  • Bottled water, up 7.0 mL (5.0%)
  • Soft drinks, up 4.3 mL (2.6%).

The fastest-growing categories in percentage terms were:

  • Coconut water, up 2.3 mL to 7.3 mL (46.0%)
  • Energy drinks, up 2.4 mL to 15.9 mL (17.8%).

Sugar-sweetened and diet beverages

‘Intense-sweetened’ is the term used to describe the use of a sugar substitute as a way to sweeten a product without the addition of sugar (sometimes labelled ‘zero sugar’). Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, apparent consumption of intensely sweetened beverages increased by 7.7%, compared with 1.0% for sugar-sweetened beverages. This continued a longer-term shift in consumer purchasing patterns. Over the seven years to 2024-25 per capita consumption of intensely sweetened beverages increased by 38.0% and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages fell by 3.7%. As a consequence, the share of relevant beverages (mainly soft drink, energy drinks, sports drinks and cordial) that were sugar sweetened decreased from 69.4% to 61.2%. 

The proportion of apparent consumption that was intensely sweetened varied by beverage type. In 2024-25, 46.1% of soft drinks were intensely sweetened, followed by:

  • Cordials (27.1%)
  • Energy drinks (19.5%) 
  • Sports drinks (17.9%).

The monthly consumption pattern shows that:

  • Per capita consumption of intensely sweetened beverages has increased over time as consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has declined. 
  • Both sugar-sweetened and intensely sweetened beverages show seasonal consumption patterns, with sugar-sweetened beverages having a pronounced peak each December.

(a) per capita per day.

Free sugars

Free sugars include sugars added to foods during processing or preparation, as well as sugars naturally present in fruit juice and honey. Naturally occurring sugars in unrefined foods, such as whole fruit and unflavoured milk, are not considered free sugars. See Glossary for complete definition.

In 2024-25, per capita apparent consumption of free sugars was 65.3 grams per day, contributing 12.4% of all dietary energy available from sales of food and non-alcoholic beverages. This proportion was similar to 2023-24 (12.4%) and exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommendation that free sugars contribute less than 10% of dietary energy [6].

The vast majority (93% or 60.6 grams) of free sugar apparent consumption in 2024-25 came from added sugar with the balance (7.2% or 4.7 grams) derived from fruit juice or honey. Most (89.1%) of the free sugars came from discretionary foods. 

The sub-major food groups contributing most to apparent consumption of free sugars in 2024-25 were:

  • Sugar, honey and syrups (18.1%)
  • Soft drinks (14.8%)
  • Chocolate (10.9%)
  • Other confectionery (6.5%)
  • Sweet biscuits (6.5%)
  • Frozen milk products (4.3%).

The largest decreases in contributions to total apparent consumption of free sugars between 2023-24 and 2024-25 were:

  • sugar, honey and syrups, down from 18.4% to 18.1%
  • cordials, down from 3.3% to 3.1%.

The largest increase was from electrolyte and energy drinks, up from 2.8% to 3.1%.

Saturated fat

Per capita apparent consumption of saturated fat averaged 34.6 grams per day in 2024-25 – unchanged from 2023-24, but down from the peak of 35.8 grams in 2019-20. 

This amount of saturated fat contributed 1,279 kJ which was equivalent to 15.1% of total dietary energy. Together, saturated fat and trans fatty acids accounted for 15.7% of dietary energy, exceeding the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand recommendation that their combined contribution be less than 10% of dietary energy [7].

However, the contribution from trans fatty acids alone was 0.6%, which is below the World Health Organization recommendation of less than 1% of daily energy intake [8].

Discretionary and non-discretionary foods each contributed around half of the available saturated fat in 2024-25, at 50.6% and 49.4%, respectively.

One-third (33.4%) of saturated fat came from milk products, with the sub-major food group contributors led by:

  • Cheese (11.8%)
  • Dairy milk (9.7%)
  • Chocolate (7.6%)
  • Butter (6.4%)
  • Beef, lamb and pork, including mixed dishes (5.9%)
  • Sausages, frankfurts and processed meat (4.8%).

Sodium

In 2024-25, the intake of sodium estimated from apparent consumption from the food retail sector averaged 2,931 milligrams per capita per day. This was down 0.5% from 2,945 mg in 2023-24 and 4.4% below the peak of 3,065 mg in 2019-20.

On an energy-adjusted basis, sodium was 347 mg per 1,000 kJ, unchanged from the previous year and 2.4% higher than in 2018-19 (339 mg per 1,000 kJ).

Apparent consumption of sodium in 2024-25 was 1.46 times the adult Suggested Dietary Target of 2,000 milligrams per day, outlined in the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand with the aim of reducing average population blood pressure in Australia [9]. Foods purchased from outlets such as fast food and takeaway outlets and restaurants can be high in sodium but are not included in apparent consumption estimates in this publication.

The proportion of salt purchased for non-food uses is unknown, so apparent consumption of sodium from salt sales may be overestimated. See the Methodology for more information.

More than half (56.3%) of apparent sodium consumption came from discretionary foods. Herbs, spices, seasonings and stocks accounted for 22.4% of total sodium in 2024-25.

The next largest contributions at the sub-major food group level were:

  • Sausages, frankfurts and processed meat (9.8%)
  • Regular breads and bread rolls (7.4%)
  • Gravies and savoury sauces (7.0%)
  • Cheese (5.3%).

Between 2018-19 and 2024-25, the contribution of sausages, frankfurts and processed meat to sodium consumption fell from 11.8% to 9.8%, consistent with a 17.3% decline in per capita consumption of processed meat over the same period.

(a) per capita per day.

Data downloads

Apparent Consumption of Selected Foodstuffs, Australia 2024-25

Data files
Download xlsx [1.32 MB]

Footnotes

Footnotes

Methodology

Apparent Consumption of Selected Foodstuffs, Australia methodology, 2024-25 financial year

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