4307.0.55.001 - Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2003-04 (Reissue)  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/11/2005  Reissue
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ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

This publication provides estimates of the quantity of beer and wine available for consumption for the years 1999-2000 to 2003-04. It also includes estimates of the apparent per person consumption of these products by persons aged 15 years and over. Estimates of pure alcohol available for consumption from these products, as well as from spirits, are also included, together with the apparent per person consumption of pure alcohol from these products by persons aged 15 years and over.

KEY POINTS

The quantity of pure alcohol available for consumption decreased 0.3% from 157.3 million litres in 2002-03 to 156.8 million litres in 2003-04. The apparent per person consumption of pure alcohol by persons aged 15 years and over decreased slightly from 9.97 litres in 2002-03 to 9.79 litres in 2003-04, a 1.8% decrease (table 4). This was due to a decrease in the consumption of alcohol in the form of beer.

The quantity of beer available for consumption decreased from 1,807 million litres in 2002-03 to 1,760 million litres in 2003-04, a 2.6% decrease. The quantity of wine available for consumption rose from 423.1 million litres in 2002-03 to 439.7 million litres in 2003-04, a 3.9% increase, with the apparent per person consumption of wine by persons aged 15 years and over increasing by 2.6% from 26.8 litres to 27.5 litres (table 2).

The quantity of alcohol, consumed by persons aged 15 years and over, in the form of spirits has increased by 2% driven largely by an increase in Ready to Drink spirit products.

Table 1 BEER, Available For Consumption And Apparent Per Person Consumption By Persons Aged 15 Years And Over -
Years Ended 30 June
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004(b)
Available for consumption
('000 litres)
Low alcohol (>1.15% and =< 3.8%)
483,438
Other (>3.8%)
1,278,305
Low strength (>1.15% and =<3.0%)
234,522
229,965
235,531
229,417
Mid strength (>3.0% and =<3.5%)
197,852
(a)203,817
217,772
248,835
Full strength (>3.5%)
1,356,366
(a)1,328,807
1,354,094
1,281,984
Total
1,761,742
1,788,740
1,762,590
1,807,397
1,760,236
Apparent per person consumption by persons 15 years and over
(litres/person)
Low alcohol (>1.15% and =< 3.8%)
32.1
Other (>3.8%)
84.8
Low strength (>1.15% and =<3.0%)
15.3
14.8
14.9
14.3
Mid strength (>3.0% and =<3.5%)
12.9
(a)13.1
13.8
15.5
Full strength (>3.5%)
88.7
(a)85.5
85.9
80.1
Total
116.8
116.9
113.4
114.6
109.9
(a) Mid strength and full strength excise data have been adjusted by the ABS to account for reporting errors in beer strength classification.
(b) Beer available for consumption in 2004 may not be directly comparable with previous years data (see explanatory notes).

Table 2 WINE, Available For Consumption And Apparent Per Person Consumption By Persons Aged 15 Years And Over -
Years Ended 30 June
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Available for consumption ('000 litres)
391,952
400,853
404,117
423,067
439,741
Apparent per person consumption (15 years and over)
(litres/person)
26.0
26.2
26.0
26.8
27.5

Table 3 ALCOHOL IN THE FORM OF SPIRITS, Available For Consumption And Apparent Per Person Consumption By Persons Aged 15 Years And Over -
Years ended 30 June
2000(c)
2001
2002
2003
2004
Available for consumption ('000 litres of alcohol)
Ready to Drink pre-mixed spirits
n.a.
n.p.
n.p.
12,190
13,872
Other spirits
n.p.
n.p.
n.p.
19,439
18,896
Total spirits
24,869
27,665
29,008
31,629
32,768
Apparent per person consumption (15 years and over)
(litres of alcohol/person)
Ready to Drink pre-mixed spirits
n.a.
n.p.
n.p.
0.77
0.87
Other spirits
n.p.
n.p.
n.p.
1.23
1.18
Total spirits
1.65
1.81
1.87
2.01
2.05
(c) Separate details for Ready to Drink pre-mixed spirits were not collected in the years prior to 2000-2001.
n.a. - not available
n.p. - not published

Table 4 ALCOHOL, Available For Consumption And Apparent Per Person Consumption By Persons Aged 15 Years And Over -
Years Ended 30 June
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Available for consumption
('000 litres of alcohol)
Beer
76,097
77,565
(a)74,711
78,220
(b)74,853
Wine
44,312
45,051
45,269
47,379
49,194
Spirit
24,869
27,665
29,008
31,629
32,768
Total
145,278
150,281
148,988
157,228
156,815
Apparent consumption (15 years and over)
(litres of alcohol/person)
Beer
5.05
5.07
(a)4.81
4.96
(b)4.67
Wine
2.94
2.95
2.91
3.00
3.07
Spirit
1.65
1.81
1.87
2.01
2.05
Total
9.64
9.83
9.59
9.97
9.79
(a) Mid strength and full strength excise data have been adjusted by the ABS to account for reporting errors in beer strength classification.
(b) Beer available for consumption in 2004 may not be directly comparable with previous years data (see explanatory notes).

NOTES


GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT

1 ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated: without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.


RELATED PUBLICATIONS

2 Current publications and other products released by the ABS are listed in the Catalogue of Publications and Products, Australia (cat. no. 1101.0). The Catalogue is available from any ABS office or the ABS web site. The ABS also issues a daily Release Advice on the web site which details products to be released in the week ahead.


ABS DATA AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

3 As well as the statistics included in this and related publications, the ABS may have other relevant data available on request. Inquiries should be made to Karen Connaughton on Canberra 02 6252 5337.

ROUNDING

4 Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.