4307.0.55.001 - Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2012-13 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/04/2014   
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SUMMARY
There were 183.6 million litres of pure alcohol available for consumption from alcoholic beverages in Australia in 2012-13. This was 0.2% more than the amount available for consumption in 2011-12 (183.3 million litres).

The volume of pure alcohol available for consumption in the form of spirits increased by 4.1% between 2011-12 and 2012-13. The volume of pure alcohol available for consumption in the form of Ready to Drink (pre-mixed beverages) decreased by 2.9%, beer by 0.6% and wine by 0.5% during this period.

Of all pure alcohol available for consumption in 2012-13, beer contributed 40.9%, wine 37.4%, spirits 13.1% and RTDs 6.6%. Cider contributed a further 2.0% (see paragraphs 25 to 36 of the Explanatory Notes for information on how estimates of cider were calculated).

On a per capita basis there were 9.9 litres of pure alcohol available for consumption per person in 2012-13, 1.6% less than the amount in 2011-12 (10.0 litres) and 8.2% less than 2007-08 (10.8 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 for alcohol used in cooking.

TABLE 1: PURE ALCOHOL AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMPTION
Year ended 30 June
Beer
Wine
Spirits
RTDs(a)
Cider(b)
Total
VOLUME OF PURE ALCOHOL ('000 litres)
2008
79 496
62 807
20 148
18 693
1 087
182 231
2009
81 148
65 600
22 900
13 012
1 644
184 304
2010
79 736
68 451
23 014
12 811
2 208
186 220
2011
77 327
68 000
24 034
12 814
2 733
184 907
2012
2013
75 585
75 116
r69 044
68,719
23 082
24 032
12 490
12 130
r3 063
3 600
r183 264
183 597
PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF PURE ALCOHOL(c) (litres)
2008
4.69
3.71
1.19
1.10
0.06
10.75
2009
4.68
3.78
1.32
0.75
0.09
10.63
2010
4.51
3.87
1.30
0.72
0.12
10.53
2011
4.31
3.79
1.34
0.71
0.15
10.30
2012
2013
4.14
4.04
r3.78
3.70
1.26
1.29
0.68
0.65
0.17
0.19
r10.04
9.88
r revised (see paragraph 5 of the Explanatory Notes)
(a) Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) beverages.
(b) See paragraphs 25 to 36 of the Explanatory Notes for information on how estimates of cider were calculated.
(c) Litres per person aged 15 years and over.

Graph Image for Apparent Consumption of Pure Alcohol, per capita(a) - Year ended 30 June 2008 to 2013

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

Source(s): Apparent Consumption of Alcohol, Australia, 2012-13