Average annual consumption of alcohol by an Australian family of four including two teenage children and two adult parents

Acknowledgement

This paper draws upon work conducted by a range of researchers and, in particular, senior researchers at the National Drug Research Institute (NDRI). Prof. Tim Stockwell, the immediate past Director of NDRI provided invaluable advice and checking of figures and calculations.

Introduction

This brief paper provides a yearly estimate of the amount of alcohol consumed by a typical family consisting of an adult male, 42 years of age, an adult female, 40 years of age, an 18 year old daughter and a 16 year old son.

It is important to note that while we may talk in terms of average drinkers and typical families, these terms are, at best, generalisations. We know there are huge variations in levels of drinking even amongst people of the same age and sex. The make up of Australian families and households also varies considerably.

At the same time, it is possible to make an informed estimate of the typical level of consumption of different alcohol beverages of four Australian drinkers based on their age and sex.

It is hoped that the findings of this paper will provide a useful reference point for discussions about patterns of alcohol consumption in Australia.

Methodology

The alcohol consumption estimate in this paper is based upon the average amount of alcohol consumed by Australians and the percentage of this alcohol consumed in different beverage types. In calculating this estimate, some weighting has been applied due to the different beverage preferences of different ages and sexes. For instance, young women are more likely to drink 'ready to drink' products (RTD) than beer ⁽¹⁾.

The average Australian aged over 15 years of age consumed 9.32 litres of pure alcohol in the financial year 2000/01 ⁽²⁾.

While estimates of the exact proportion of this alcohol consumption that can be attributed to particular beverages varies according to the source, we can generally say that around 40% of this alcohol consumption was medium and full strength beer, 10% was low alcohol beer, 30% wine and 20% spirits (neat and pre-mixed) ⁽³⁾.

What we know about the breakdown of beverage consumption suggests that the teenagers in our family grouping are more likely to drink pre-mixed spirits than the average Australian (bourbons and other brown spirits drunk by teenage males, white pre-mixed spirits including vodkas drunk by teenage females). Low alcohol beer is unlikely to be drunk by either of the teenagers. Men still tend to drink beer (two thirds of their alcohol consumption) while women tend to drink wine than the average Australian (almost half their alcohol consumption) ^{(4, 5)}.

Allowing for these variables in typical beverage consumption, some weighting can be applied to the average Australian figures. In the case of our family of four, it is appropriate to increase the level of pre-mix spirits to reflect the fact that a third of all youth drinking involves pre mixed spirits. It is also appropriate to reduce the level of low alcohol beer consumption given how low the levels of consumption are amongst teenagers, and to slightly reduce full strength beer consumption given the lower levels of full strength beer consumption by the two women in this family group. Wine should be maintained at similar levels. Given there are four drinkers in this family group, the weightings have been applied assuming an almost equal share of alcohol for each drinker.

Findings: Total alcohol consumption

The total alcohol consumption for this group of four drinkers is 37.2 litres of pure alcohol ⁽¹⁾. It is important to note that this figure of 37.2 litres of alcohol is an under-estimate of the amount of alcohol that would be consumed by four Australian drinkers, given that around 15% of Australian adults do not drink alcohol at all and the average consumption of 9.3 litres of alcohol per year includes non drinkers.

Findings: Proportion of alcohol consumed in different beverages

Accounting for the variation in age and sex of these four Australian drinkers, it is estimated that their 37.28 litres of alcohol would be consumed in the following beverages:

Table 1
Type of alcoholic beverage consumed by volumetric proportion and total litres

Findings: Amount of each beverage consumed annually

The calculations and informing assumptions used for average percentage and costs estimates in this paper are based partly on a survey of products in retail outlets (see attachment 1) and partly on previous estimates .

Full and medium strength beer:

Average alcohol percentage 4.5% x 375mls stubby = 16.88mls of alcohol per stubby
14.9 litres of pure alcohol in medium and full strength beer is equivalent to 883 stubbies or 36.8 slabs (24 bottles) of beer

Bottled wine

Average alcohol percentage 13% x 750mls bottle = 97.5mls of alcohol per bottle
7.5 litres of pure alcohol in bottled wine is equivalent to 77 bottles of wine or 6.4 dozen cases

RTDs and pre-mixed spirits

Average alcohol percentage 4.8% x 375mls bottle = 18mls of alcohol per bottle
5.6 litres of pure alcohol in RTDs and pre-mix spirits is equivalent to 311 bottles or 51.8 six packs

Cask wine

Average alcohol percentage 11% x 4 litre cask = 440mls of alcohol per cask
3.7 litres of pure alcohol in cask wine is the equivalent of 8.4 wine casks

Neat spirit

Average alcohol percentage 38% x 700mls = 266mls of alcohol per bottle
3.7 litres of pure alcohol in bottled spirits is the equivalent of 13.9 bottles of spirits

Light beer

Average alcohol consumption 2.8% x 375mls stubby = 10.5mls of alcohol per stubby 1.8 litres of pure alcohol in low alcohol beer is the equivalent of 171 stubbies or 7.1 slabs (24 bottles) of low alcohol beer

Table 2
Summary calculations informing total alcohol beverages consumed in a year by a family of four over fifteen years of age

Findings: Summary of amount of beverages consumed annually

This family of four Australians would, on average, be likely to consume the following amount of alcohol beverages each year:

883 stubbies of medium and full strength beer (36.8 slabs)
77 bottles of wine (6.5 cases)
311 bottles of pre-mix spirits
8.4 casks of wine
13.9 bottles of neat spirits
171 stubbies of low alcohol beer (7.1 slabs)

Findings: Summary of amount spent of beverages annually

This family of four Australian drinkers would expect to spend on average the following amount on alcohol each year, if they shopped for their alcohol at one of the larger metropolitan alcohol retailers, expect on average to spend the following amount on alcohol each year:

References

1.       National Expert Advisory Committee on Alcohol (2004), Review of interventions to reduce underage drinking, Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra

2.       World Drink Trends (2003), International guide for monitoring alcohol consumption and related harm, Substance Abuse Department, Geneva

3.       T. Chikritzis et al, (2003), Australian Alcohol Indicators, 1990-2001 Patterns of alcohol use and related harms for Australian states and territories, National Drug Research Institute, Perth

4.       Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2002), 2001 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, Canberra, AIHW

5.       Morgan Research (2004), Focus on beer, National Liquor News, December 2004, Sydney.

6.       T. Stockwell, & S. Donath (2003), Beverage-specific contributions to risky alcohol consumption: scope for tax reforms to improve public health?, Kettle Brun Society, Perth.

Attachment 1

Percentage and Price of Alcohol Beverages

The following beverage alcohol by volume percentages and approximate prices were recorded from actual containers in a large Melbourne alcohol retail outlet.

Links

View Pictures

On The Wagon Week

For other Donation options - see our main donations page or directly donate using your credit card.