More Australians are consuming alcohol at increased rates, with a growing preference for ready-to-drink (RTD) products leading to a doubling in RTD consumption.
Data from market-research agency Roy Morgan Research indicates that approximately 14 million Australians, who are of legal drinking age (18 years and older), consumed alcohol in the period ending September 2023. This reflects a 1.8% rise compared to the period ending March 2020.
Roy Morgan’s Alcohol Consumption Report reveals that the number of Australians drinking RTDs has doubled since 2020, reaching 4.3 million within three years.
During the 12-month period ending in March 2020, 10.8% of legal drinking age Australians consumed RTDs. Presently, the percentage of the drinking population for the RTD category has surged to 21%.
Wine continues to hold its position as the most consumed alcoholic beverage in Australia, representing 44.1% of consumption. This figure has risen by three percentage points since 2020, with nine million people now partaking in wine consumption.
Spirits consumption declined by 1.4% to reach 5.6 million consumers, representing 27.3% of the total drinking population.
The beer category experienced the most significant decline, with only 6.7 million Australians now consuming beer, marking a 4.9% decrease compared to the year ending March 2020.
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“Consumption of RTDs has continued to increase, consumption of wine has plateaued at a far higher level than pre-pandemic, consumption of spirits has largely returned to its pre-pandemic levels and consumption of beer – which had the smallest pandemic increase – has continued its long-term decline,” Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine, said.
“In contrast, the spike in the drinking of spirits experienced during the pandemic has proved short-lived with 5,623,000 Australian adults now drinking spirits in an average four weeks, down 201,000 on a year ago and down over 1.1 million from the pandemic peak of spirits consumption in 2021.”
Roy Morgan’s Alcohol Consumption Report is based on an annual survey of 60,000 Australians.
In recent years, beer consumption has been declining in certain countries. Germany experienced a decrease in beer sales in 2023, with breweries and beer warehouses selling around 8.4 billion liters of beer, marking a 4.5% decline from 2022, according to a report released by the country’s Federal Statistical Office this month.
In 2022, German beer sales rose by 2.7% compared to the previous 12 months, reaching 8.8 billion liters. However, the figures for 2023 highlight a continued long-term decline in beer sales. The 2023 sales figure is 11.5% lower than the 9.5 billion liters recorded in 2013. Over a thirty-year period, sales in 2023 decreased by 25.5% compared to 1993, when the nation consumed 11.2 billion liters.
Beer sales in the Netherlands experienced a decline in 2023. According to a report from the association Nederlandse Brouwers, total beer sales for the year amounted to 11.56 million hectoliters, reflecting a 5.6% decrease from 2022. This figure was even lower than the pre-Covid 2019 total of 12.13 million hectoliters.
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