The 2019 study by Roy Morgan on the drinking habits of Australians reports continued decline in regular consumption but further clarity for licensed venues and retailers.
Roy Morgan’s Alcohol Consumption Currency Report questioned 15,000+ consumers, to continue the company’s statistical analysis of the liquor landscape across Australia.
The Report notes that two-thirds (66.3 per cent) of Aussies drink consistently in a given four-week period.
Amongst these, wine is the most popular by number, in the hands of 41.3 per cent of drinkers.
But beer tops the list by volume, consumed by 37.6 per cent of people, yet representing 45.3 per cent of alcohol by volume – more than wine (29.0) and spirits combined.
Spirits make up 13.2 per cent of consumption volume, with RTDs, cider, liqueurs, ‘other’ and fortified wine sharing the remaining 12.8 per cent of the alcohol volume.
Coincidentally, 12.8 per cent of overall respondents reported regularly drinking the trifecta of beer, wine and spirits.
The previously strong growth of cider has plateaued in recent years, representing 3.7 per cent by volume and around one in ten people saying it is in their alcohol repertoire.
Overall, the number of people saying they drank any alcohol in the four weeks has dropped 3.5 per cent since 2014.
“Being able to identify and profile who these one-in-eight Australians are and where to find them is of vital importance to any alcohol retailers and distributors looking to shore up their market share in a market which is reaching a declining proportion of the population,” suggests Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levien.
