4307.0.55.001 - Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2010-11 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/05/2012   
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Summary
There were 182.0 million litres of pure alcohol available for consumption from alcoholic beverages in Australia in 2010-11. This was 1.1% less than the amount available for consumption in 2009-10 (184.0 million litres).

The decrease was comprised of decreases from beer (down 3.4%) and wine (down 0.6%). Spirits available for consumption during this period increased by 4.8% and Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) beverages were stable.

Of all pure alcohol available for consumption in 2010-11, beer contributed 42.3%, wine 37.4%, spirits 13.2% and RTDs 7.0%.

On a per capita basis, there were 10.0 litres of pure alcohol available for consumption per person in 2010-11, 2.6% less than the amount in 2009-10 (10.3 litres). As a standard drink consists of 12.5 mls of pure alcohol, this is equivalent to an average of 2.2 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.

TABLE 1: PURE ALCOHOL AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMPTION

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

VOLUME OF PURE ALCOHOL ('000 litres)

2006
76 388
58 311
19 154
16 383
170 236
2007
77 849
62 263
19 355
18 123
177 590
2008
79 496
62 807
20 160
18 693
181 156
2009
81 148
65 600
r22 908
r13 012
r182 668
2010
r79 736
r68 451
r23 015
12 811
r184 013
2011
77 063
68 028
24 112
12 814
182 016

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

2006
4.63
3.53
1.16
0.99
10.31
2007
4.63
3.70
1.15
1.08
10.57
2008
4.63
3.66
r1.18
1.09
10.56
2009
4.62
3.73
1.30
0.74
10.40
2010
r4.45
r3.82
r1.28
r0.71
r10.27
2011
4.23
3.74
1.32
0.70
9.99

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


GRAPH 1: APPARENT CONSUMPTION OF PURE ALCOHOL,
Per capita(a) - Year ended 30 June 2006 to 2011

Graph: Shows the apparent consumption of pure alcohol in litres for beer, wine, spirits and RTDs from 2006 to 2011