Alcohol consumption marginally declines in 2022

Tāmaki Makaurau - The total volume of alcoholic drinks available in New Zealand for consumption was barely changed last year, down 0.3 percent to 498 million litres, StatsNZ says.

The volume of beer rose 0.5 percent to 294 million litres. The volume of wine fell 5.9 percent to 101 million litres.

The volume of spirits including spirit-based drinks rose 3.2 percent to 103 million litres. The equivalent total volume of pure alcohol in all alcoholic beverages for consumption fell 0.7 percent.

The volume of available alcohol, expressed in terms of the number of equivalent standard drinks per person aged 18 years and over fell one percent to 1.96 per person per day.

The total volume of alcoholic beverages available for consumption was little changed, down 0.3 percent to 498 million litres in 2022. This follows a rise of 0.9 percent in 2021, and a rise of 0.8 percent in 2020.

As a proportion of the total volume of alcoholic beverages available for consumption, between 2008 and 2022:

• beer decreased from 66 percent to 59 percent

• wine increased from 19 percent to 20 percent

• spirits and spirit-based drinks increased from 14 percent to 21 percent

The total volume of beer available for consumption rose 0.5 percent to 294 million litres in 2022. This follows falls of 0.2 percent in 2021, and 1.7 percent in 2020.

The changes in volume in each of the four categories of beer, according to alcoholic content were:

• up to 2.5 percent alcohol – fell 12 percent, to 6.9 million litres

• between 2.5 and 4.35 percent – fell 21 percent, to 76 million litres

• between 4.35 and 5 percent – rose 26 percent, to 177 million litres

• above five percent – fell 29 percent, to 34 million litres

The volume of beer with more than five percent alcohol fell for the first time since 2014, to reach 34 million litres.

Of the total volume of beer available for consumption in 2022, 83 percent was produced in New Zealand and 17 percent was imported.

In addition to the volume of beer produced in New Zealand that is available for local consumption, 20 million litres of beer were exported in 2022. This is unchanged from the quantity exported in 2021.

The total volume of wine available for consumption in 2022 fell 5.9 percent to 101 million litres. This follows a fall of 4.9 percent in 2021, and a rise of 4.3 percent in 2020.

Of the total volume of wine available for consumption in 2022, 70 percent was produced in New Zealand and 30 percent was imported.