Photo / FileNew Zealanders may have swapped beers for wine and spirits during the Covid-19 pandemic, but there was no spike in drinking consumption overall, new Stats NZ data reveals. "We are seeing an increase in wine and spirits consumption and a decrease in beer consumption, though the alcohol available for consumption has remained fairly static over the past year," Alcohol Beverages Council executive director Bridget MacDonald said. The country's total consumption of spirits increased from 10.998 million litres in 2019, to 11.352 million in 2020. Consumption of wine jumped slightly from 11.156 to 11.668 million litres, while beer dipped from 13.134 to 12.949 million litres. "Hazardous drinking is declining, fewer young people are drinking, and our consumption is decreasing and below the OECD average."

Source: New Zealand Herald March 03, 2021 05:54 UTC