There has been a surprising shift in Australia’s drinking patterns, with more people choosing to drink beer instead of other interesting alternatives.
According to new data released by the Australian government, the amount of beer consumed has fallen to its lowest level in 80 years.
Australians consumed only 82L of alcohol per capita in 2019-20. This is less than half what they finished between 1974-75 when the figure was 190L.
Spirits such as vodka and gin have seen a 10% increase in sales between 2019-20.
Australians consumed 19% more spirits with high alcohol content per capita in 2017-18 than they did just a few years ago.
The government reported that “this is the highest level since the peak in spirits consumption of 2007-08, which was 2.3L per person.”
The types of spirits consumed have changed significantly.
In 2007-08, spirits were consumed in 48 percent of the total amount. By 2019-20, that number dropped to 28 percent.
Researchers believe that the decline occurred after changes in tax on ready-to-drink beverages in 2008. This sparked an increase in certain spirits.
In 2019-20, people consumed an average of 1.5L of alcohol per person from unmixed spirits, such as whiskey, vodka, and liqueurs.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released a report on Tuesday that made some other shocking discoveries about Australians’ drinking habits.
In 2019-20, the amount of “pure” alcohol available in Australia decreased by less than 1%, but it is still higher than five years ago.
The report also found that this change was not due to “per capita consumption” but rather a result of Australia’s growing population.
Wine remained the most popular alcohol available, accounting for 42 percent of apparent alcohol consumption.
Wine consumption has dropped since 2015-16 but is still at its highest level in 60 years.
The beer market, which accounts for 35% of the total consumption, is dominated by full-strength beverages. This was followed by medium-strength drinks, which saw their highest consumption ever.