SYDNEY — Australians consumed just 9.8 litres of pure alcohol per capita in 2023–24, the latest official figures show, continuing a long-term decline in drinking habits that health experts say is accelerating in 2026 amid heightened wellness awareness and generational shifts.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported 217.1 million litres of pure alcohol available for consumption nationwide in the 2023–24 financial year, a 3.7 per cent decrease from 225.5 million litres the previous period. Per capita availability fell from 10.5 litres in 2022–23 to 9.8 litres, one of the lowest levels recorded in recent decades.

Industry projections for the 2025–26 period forecast total alcohol consumption rising modestly by 1.7 per cent to approximately 236.5 megalitres, driven almost entirely by population growth rather than any rebound in individual drinking. Per capita figures are expected to hover near or slightly below 10 litres, with some analysts predicting a further 0.6 per cent decline.

Younger Australians are at the forefront of the change. A Flinders University study examining more than two decades of data from over 23,000 participants found Generation Z nearly 20 times more likely to abstain from alcohol than Baby Boomers, even after adjusting for socioeconomic factors. Weekly consumption has fallen across younger cohorts, though occasional binge drinking persists in some groups.

The National Drug Strategy Household Survey reinforces the pattern. About 77 per cent of Australians aged 14 and over reported drinking in the past 12 months, but daily drinking has dropped to 5.4 per cent. Risky drinking levels — exceeding national guidelines for long-term harm — affected 32.3 per cent of adults over 18 in 2022–23, down from 40.2 per cent two decades earlier. Underage drinking has plummeted, with only 31 per cent of 14- to 17-year-olds consuming alcohol in the previous year, compared with 69 per cent in 2001.

Health authorities link the decline to multiple drivers. Greater public awareness of alcohol's connections to cancer, liver disease and mental health issues has prompted many to cut........

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