E-Malt.com News article: 1977

The recently published World Drink Trends 2003 survey reveals this year that more than ever Europeans continue to out-drink the rest of the world.

No other continents are represented within the total consumption top 20 this year. Luxembourg remains at the top of the table despite recording a 6% decrease in consumption from 2001. The UK, on the other hand, saw a 1.2% rise in consumption in 2001 to 8.5 litres of pure alcohol per head, moving it up to 14th place. The USA's consumption levels remain the same, keeping it in 26th place, and New Zealand is now the highest ranking non-European country in 21st place. Overall there seemed to be a global decline in alcohol consumption in 2001 with just 12 countries seeing an increase.

Once again the Czechs and the Irish continue to top the beer consumption table despite their consumption falling by 1.4% and 0.9% respectively. The UK's beer consumption increased 1.8% in 2001, the first increase since 1997. However this made no impression on it's ranking, and the UK remains in 8th position again.

Russia has taken back the top spot in Spirits Consumption for 2001, with 6.3 litres of pure alcohol consumed per head, topping an all Eastern European top 5. Thailand is the highest non-European country, but although figures remain at a steady 3.5 litres of pure alcohol per head it has been pushed out of the top 5 this year. The UK has dropped to 31st place with a 6.3% fall in consumption, amounting to just 24% of Russia's total intake. Cyprus saw the biggest increase in 2001, with an impressive 18.5% rise.

Luxembourg continues to top the wine consumption table, despite a 6.9% drop in 2001. Argentina is still the highest non-European country in the table, and the UK saw a 3.6% rise in consumption, taking them from 24th to 21st.

Apart from Cyprus, which saw a 7.0% increase in total alcohol consumption taking it from 5th to 4th position, the top 5 countries remain the same. Overall there most countries seem to have seen a decline in consumption levels from 2000.

World Drink Trends 2003, which is published annually in association with the Commission for Distilled Spirits, also has detailed information on soft drinks for the major markets, VAT and Excise duty information, liquid intake data and in-depth figures on alcohol production. The publication contains consumption data for 58 countries and for almost 70% of the global population.



26 December, 2003