Health-conscious Australians switch from beer to wine

Australians are drinking less alcohol than they have for half a century in a switch from beer in the pub to wine at home and toward a healthier lifestyle.

People drank on average 92 litres of beer in 2013-14, less than half the amount in the 1970s, a high point for brewers. Beer now accounts for 41 per cent of all alcohol consumed, down from three-quarters in the 1960s, official figures show.

Wine's share has increased over the period from 12 per cent to 38 per cent, reflecting trends in other developed countries such as the US and UK. 

The turnround in tastes is forcing brewers to compete aggressively with winemakers by launching premium beers and lobbying government to phase out favourable tax treatment for cheaper wines. The drinks industry is also stepping up its opposition to proposed curbs on alcohol advertising on television and tough measures against binge drinking.

Denita Wawn, chief executive of the Brewers Association, said on Thursday the data from the national statistics office reinforced the industry's view that alcohol consumption is moderating.

"Population-wide policy responses to alcohol misuse, such as calls to ban advertising and sponsorship, are simply not the answer to effect change," she said.

Over recent years the health lobby has been calling for an advertising crackdown and minimum pricing in response to a spate of alcohol-fuelled violence. Last year restrictions on licensing hours for pubs, clubs and off-licences were introduced in Sydney.

Another battle is being waged on television, with free-to-air commercial stations seeking to water down a code of practice limiting the time at which alcohol can be advertised. The move is alarming health specialists, who say the drop in alcohol consumption has not solved the problem of binge-drinking among some groups.

"The level of alcohol-related harm has not declined," said Michael Farrell, director of Australia's National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. "Removing the low level of restrictions currently in place is not a good idea."

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Carlton & United Breweries, which owns the Victoria Bitter brand and admits beer has sometimes had a "bad rap" with women, said it was highlighting the natural, low-alcohol and mixed appeal of the drink as it competes with wines and spirits.

Brewers say the favourable tax regime for cheap wines should be removed in a government review of taxation. "Existing arrangements for wine, with taxation based on price not volume of alcohol, create inefficiencies and inequities within the wine industry but also lead to an unfair price advantage for very cheap wine," Ms Wawn added.

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