For better or worse, Australian culture has long placed an emphasis on drinking – especially when it comes to social events. From 1974-75 (Australia’s ‘peak beer’ period),our country consumed the equivalent of 500 stubbies per person. But as people begin to invest more in their health and wellness, this looks set to change.
According to research by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, alcohol consumption among Australians has hit a 50-year low. And despite reports of panic buying at bottle shops across the country in March 2020, research suggests that Aussies have been drinking even less while in COVID-19 lockdown.
Following the release of the AIA Vitality Wellbeing Index, which focuses on how four key behaviours contribute to four non-communicable diseases, which in turn lead to 90 per cent of premature deaths in Australia – excessive alcohol consumption plays a leading role, and may lead to cancers and cardiovascular disease. It’s pretty sobering stuff.
It’s no wonder that Australian drinkers are changing their attitudes towards alcohol and considering healthier options. In 2017, around 63 per cent of Australian drinkers consumed no more than two standard drinks per occasion, with 20 per cent of the population opting for alcohol-free drinks altogether (according to this Drinkwise report). This decline has been met with a rise in a new movement: people throwing off the ‘teetotaller’ identity – and its party-pooper connotations – and adopting a softer label instead: sober curious.
