Australia: Australians drank less beer in 2004

Australians drank 109.9 litres of beer per person aged 15 or more in 2004, down from 114.6 litres in 2003, The Australian Bureau of Statistics announced on June 27. Altogether, 1,760 million litres was available to drink in the year to June 30, 2004, down 2.6 percent from 1,807 million litres a year earlier.

Full strength beer consumption fell to 80.1 litres per person in 2004, down from 85.9 litres a year in 2003, according to The Australian Bureau of Statistics. Mid-strength beer consumption increased slightly, to 15.5 litres a person from 13.8 litres a person. While, low strength beer consumption fell to 14.3 litres a person from 14.9 litres a person.

The shift is a result of an increase in the amount of wine available in Australia and a continued increase in the amount of pre-mixed spirit drinks available, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

29 June, 2005