UK alcohol consumption 1979 - 2016

We've arrived at the final part of my look at alcohol consumption. Starting with the peak beer-drinking year of 1979 and ending with the 2016, the last year I have numbers for.

Through the 1980s, despite high levels of unemployment, beer consumption was pretty stable at around 110 litres per year. There was a slight decline in the 1990s, taking it down to 100 litres or so. 2000 saw a sharp drop to fewer than 90 litres. It recovered a little in the following years, but, after 2004, it was all downhill. Every year after than 2010, fewer than 70 litres were consumed. By 2016, consumption had fallen 46% from its 1979 peak.

The story for wine is quite different, with consumption rising until 2007, then declining a little and stabilising around 20 litres. Between 1979 and 2016, wine consumption increased by 60%. The arcs of wine and beer are quite different, implying that the decline in beer shrinking wasn't simply due to external economic factors. There seems to have been a definite move from beer to wine drinking.

Something similar can be seen with cider, which peaked in 2009. Though after that there was a considerable decrease. Even with that late fall, between 1979 and 2016 consumption increased by 65%.

Spirits are another story. Apart from a slight dip in the 1990s, consumption was pretty stable over the whole period.

Wondering what RTDs are? They're things like wine coolers and alcopops.

UK alcohol consumption 1979 - 2016
Year	Spirits	Wine	Beer	Cider	RTDs
1979	1.9	8.1	123.4	3.8
1980	1.8	8.1	118.3	3.8
1981	1.7	8.6	113	4.1
1982	1.6	8.7	109.8	4.8
1983	1.6	9.5	111.2	5.4
1984	1.6	10.4	110.9	5.4
1985	1.7	10.9	110.1	5.2
1986	1.7	11.3	109.7	5.3
1987	1.7	12	110.4	5.2
1988	1.8	12.4	110.9	4.9
1989	1.8	12.8	110.8	5.4
1990	1.7	12.5	113.9	6.4	0.3
1991	1.6	12.3	109.7	6.5	0.5
1992	1.5	12.6	105.9	7.6	0.8
1993	1.5	13.2	102.6	7.8	0.8
1994	1.6	13.6	104.8	8.3	0.9
1995	1.4	13.4	102.1	9.6	1.6
1996	1.4	14.1	103.2	9.7	3.1
1997	1.5	15.2	105.1	9.5	2
1998	1.4	15.7	100.9	9.5	2.1
1999	1.6	16.6	100.7	10.3	3.1
2000	1.6	17.2	88.4	10.2	4.8
2001	1.6	18.1	90.1	10	6.3
2002	1.7	19.5	91.9	10	6.5
2003	1.8	20	93.9	9.9	5.1
2004	1.9	21.8	92.1	10.2	4.9
2005	1.9	22.3	89.3	10.7	4
2006	1.7	21.3	86.2	12.4	3.1
2007	1.8	22.9	81.3	13.1	3
2008	1.8	22.4	77.6	13.6	2.4
2009	1.7	21	71.2	15.1	2
2010	1.8	21.2	68.5	14.8	2.4
2011	1.7	21	67.2	14.7	2.3
2012	1.7	20.8	67.4	13.7	2.4
2013	1.7	20.5	66.2	13.5	2.9
2014	1.7	20.2	67.7	12.3	3.2
2015	1.7	20.4	67.2	11.7	3.5
2016	1.8	20.4	66.7	10.8	3.9
Sources:
Brewers Society Statistical Handbook 1990, page 34.
Statistical Handbook of the British Beer and Pub Association 2003, page 35.
Statistical Handbook of the British Beer and Pub Association 2017, page 28.