Canada: Beer accounts for nearly half of Alberta’s purchases of alcoholic drinks in 2007-2008

The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission's annual report reveals that beer accounted for nearly half (C$896 million) of the roughly C$2 billion spent on alcohol in Alberta in the 2007-2008 fiscal year, Calgary Herald posted on November, 10.

Data from the Brewers Association of Canada reveal that legal-age Albertans drink, per capita, more beer and other liquor (about 131 litres of alcoholic beverages annually) than any other province or territory, except the Yukon.

Broken down, nearly twice as much canned beer (in volume) was sold than bottles in Alberta (nearly 133 million litres in cans alone), with the crunchable containers increasing in popularity in recent years, while sales of bottle and draught beer have decreased.

The can culture seems to be a uniquely western Canadian phenomenon, with bottle sales more than doubling cans across the country, it is reported.

12 November, 2008