Source: The Mercury, 9 April, 1998, p.4 Source: The Mercury, 9 April, 1998, p.4
Beer consumption 1. Czech Republic: 160 litres per capita 2. Republic of Ireland: 142.5 3. Germany: 134.5 4. Denmark: 117.63 6. Austria: 116.0 6. Luxembourg: 109.0 7. United Kingdom: 102.3 8. Belgium: 102.0 9. Australia: 95.4 10. New Zealand: 93.9 AUSTRALIANS are sobering up and turning to vegetables, Aust- ralian Bureau of Stat- istics figures released yesterday show. Australia may be the ninth biggest beer- drinking nation but stat- istics show overall beer consumption last year was the lowest in 50 years. Drinkers are not only drinking less beer but are choosing lighter beer than ever before, with low-alcohol beer accoun- ting for a quarter of all consumption. And it seems the stub- by is being swapped for a stick of celery or a bowl of vegies. Vegetable intake has risen to the highest level since the 1930s. Potatoes are still the most popular vegetable with each person in Australia eating an average of 70kg a year. But better still, says Australian Medical As- sociation president Keith Woolard, is the low level of beer con- sumption. "We've been cam- paigning for many years to reduce alcohol intake and in turn reduce Aust- ralia's road toll," he said I yesterday. He said the alcohol advertising industry might have contributed to the reduction in alcohol consumption. "In general, the over- all alcohol advertising industry has been quite responsible," Mr Wool- ard said. Despite each Aust- ralian downing an aver- age of 341 stubbles of beer each year, the over- all beer reduction and vegetable increase will be a sobering thought for many in Australia.
Where to next?
Student Questions for this article
Teacher Discussion of this article
Index - Data Representation