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Does New Zealand have any identifiable consumption trends?

There is a lack of robust data on consumption trends. The most regular, reliable and valid trend data for alcohol consumption is produced by Statistics New Zealand on “alcohol available for consumption”, which apart from per capita consumption rates tells us that the amount of beer available has been slightly decreasing over the past 10 years with wine and spirits (particularly spirit-based beverages) taking a greater share of the total amount.

Despite this lack of reliable trend data, we do have some indications (from a number of information sources) of an increasing trend in the prevalence of excessive drinking among women, especially young women.

A 1998 national survey found that the proportion of women who reported feeling drunk once a week in 1998 had increased significantly from 1995. Between 2000 and 2006 there has been an increase in the number of single night-time road crashes where alcohol is proven or suspected for all those aged under 35 years, but the most significant change is an increase in female driver crashes in the 15-17, 18-24 and 25-34 age groups all of whom have experienced increases of approximately 7 percent over the period. In contrast, over the same time period the percentage of crashes involving male drivers in other age groups remained substantially the same (with the exception of a 4 percent increase in male drivers aged 15-17 years).

Other figures show an increase in women who have been hospitalised with alcohol poisoning, particularly young women aged 15-24 years. In 2001, the number of women admitted to hospital with severe alcohol poisoning surpassed men for the first time and kept climbing to 60 percent of admissions in 2004.

Research also shows that although per capita consumption levels over the past ten years appear to be relatively stable, approximately one-quarter of New Zealanders who do drink, consume harmful amounts of alcohol on a typical drinking occasion. Research also suggests that this binge-drinking behaviour among many New Zealand drinkers is supported by a general tolerance for drunkenness and attitudes that drinking assists with social interaction and relaxation. Drinking excessively appears to be an accepted social norm in New Zealand, one that is shared by young people and adults alike.

The 2004 alcohol use survey found that of those New Zealanders aged 12 to 65 years who reported drinking within the 12 month period:

an estimated 24.7 per cent consumed large amounts of alcohol on a typical drinking occasion
14.7 percent consumed large amounts of alcohol at least once a week
9.5 percent had consumed enough alcohol to feel drunk at least once a week.

These findings are consistent with the 2003 nationwide survey commissioned by ALAC. Six-hundred and twenty-six young people aged between 12 and 17 years and 1,157 adults aged 18+ participated in this survey. Approximately 50 percent of all the young people surveyed stated that they were drinkers. Of these:

14 percent reported drinking only a few times a year, at home and mainly with their parents/whanau
22 percent reported drinking at least once every two weeks and binge-drinking with friends during weekends and holidays for the social benefits of comradeship, a sense of belonging and to boost confidence levels
14 percent reported drinking at least once a week (these respondents were typically male and frequently consumed alcohol to get drunk).

Approximately 80 percent of all adult respondents in the 2003 ALAC survey were drinkers. Of these:

29 percent reported drinking only a few times a year (these respondents were typically female and/or older (i.e. 50+))
23 percent reported drinking at least once a week and binge-drinking (these respondents were typically under 40 years of age, full-time wage and salary earners and had young children in their households)
29 percent reported drinking regularly (often every day) and binge-drinking, mainly to unwind and for a buzz (these respondents were typically Pakeha and tended to be full-time wage and salary earners with above average incomes and had children in their households).

The 2003 ALAC survey also found that New Zealand’s drinking culture was one where many:

New Zealanders tolerate drunkenness (e.g. 41 percent of all people surveyed indicated that they believed it was OK to get drunk as long as it’s not every day and almost one-in-ten drinkers admitted that they drink to get drunk)
• drinkers appear to exercise little self-control when drinking (e.g. almost one-quarter of all drinkers surveyed indicated that they did not limit the amount of alcohol they drank so that they didn’t wake up with a hangover)
drinkers view alcohol as a social lubricant and relaxant (e.g. 42 percent of all drinkers surveyed indicated that when they consumed alcohol it made it easier to meet and get to know people and 67 percent indicated that alcohol helped them to wind down and relax).

ALAC’s draft National Annual Attitudes Survey for November 2008 found that:

two thirds (63%) of all adult drinkers reported that they have ever consumed seven or more drinks on a single occasion, while one fifth (18%) reported that they have done so in the last two weeks, and one quarter (24%) on the last occasion.
one quarter (25%) of all adult New Zealanders identify as binge drinkers.