Drinking in New Zealand 1995 National Survey

Consumption

Of those interviewed, 89% of the men and 85% of the women were drinkers.

Men consumed 73% of the alcohol reported in the survey.

The top 10% of drinkers drank almost half of the alcohol, the equivalent of at least 31 cans of beer a week.

Home production of alcohol probably accounts for about 3% of the alcohol consumed.
The median annual consumption reported by male drinkers was 7.4 litres of absolute alcohol. This is equivalent to 500 cans of beer a year, or a little over nine cans a week. (Survey respondents tend to under-report consumption.) The median is the level that half the sample is above and half below. This measure best indicates the behaviour of the 'typical' drinker.]

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