March 18, 2022 by Megan Cook, Yvette Mojica-Perez & Sarah Callinan. From the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE).

A new report has found that alcohol companies rely on people who drink the most for sales, with more than a third of alcohol consumed in Australia drunk by only five per cent of the population. 

The report Distribution of Alcohol use in Australia released today by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) and undertaken by the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR) analysed alcohol use among people who consume alcohol at the heaviest levels. 

They found that:

  • In 2019, the heaviest drinking five per cent of the Australian population drank 36.1 per cent of all alcohol consumed.
  • The heaviest drinking 10 per cent of the Australian population drank 54.1 per cent of all alcohol consumed, and the heaviest drinking 20 per cent of the Australian population accounted for 75.1 per cent of all alcohol consumed.
  • The heaviest drinking five per cent of the population drank 7.83 standard drinks per day on average and the heaviest drinking 10 per cent drank 3.89 standard drinks per day on average.

  • Analysis of the heaviest drinking 10 per cent of the population found:
    • Regular strength beer and cask wine was their most common main drink type
    • The age groups more likely to be among the heaviest drinking 10 per cent were 50 – 59-year olds (13 per cent) and 40–49-year olds (12 per cent)
    • The heaviest drinking 10 per cent were more likely to be men than women, and more likely to live in rural and regional localities.
    • They were also more likely to report drinking in several locations, including at home, in pubs/clubs and public spaces.

Mr Hutchins, FARE Policy and Research Director said “This report clearly shows that alcohol companies rely on exploiting risky drinking with a large proportion of their sales relying on people who drink the most”. He continues: “These profits come at the expense of the health and wellbeing of families and communities across Australia. 

“It has never been easier for alcohol companies to target people who drink heavily and who might be experiencing alcohol dependence”.

 

To read the full article click on the following link: https://fare.org.au/new-report-alcohol-companies-reliant-on-people-who-drink-at-heaviest-levels/

If you want to read the full report click here: https://fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/CAPR-report-Distribution-of-alcohol-use-in-Australia.pdf

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