The Alcoholic Beverages Council said public debate about alcohol in New Zealand is sometimes dominated by outdated assumptions.
“The latest evidence shows a far more balanced and positive picture, one that deserves to be part of the conversation”, said NZABC Executive Director Virginia Nicholls.
Alcohol consumption in New Zealand has been declining for decades. New Zealanders drink significantly less alcohol per person than they did in the 1980s, with long-term data showing a sustained downward trend in alcohol available for consumption.
“The gap between perception and reality is widening, and some claims don’t align with long-term data trends,” said Nicholls.
Most New Zealanders drink responsibly
The NZ Health survey consistently shows that five out of six adults drink in a responsible way, and there has been an across-the-board decline in different measures of riskier drinking as compared to 2016/17. This is why targeted, evidence-based interventions are more effective than one-size-fits-all measures, which penalise responsible drinkers.
Hazardous drinking is declining
The proportion of adults classified as hazardous drinkers has declined by 22 percent from 2020 to 2025, indicating a continued shift toward more moderate drinking patterns.
Binge (heavy episodic) drinking in NZ is declining and is well below the OECD average:
Since 2020, binge drinking in NZ has declined by 21.8 percent. This also reinforces the trend towards more moderate drinking.
Compared with the OECD binge drinking average of 27 percent (2023), New Zealand is sitting at 17.5 percent, which is lower than many countries, including Canada, the United States, Australia, Italy, Ireland, Germany and the United Kingdom. However, this is still too high.
More Kiwis are opting out – and some are choosing low and no alcohol options
More New Zealanders are choosing not to drink, which has declined by 5.9 percent from 2012 to 2025. More consumers are also choosing low and no alcohol options, independent industry research found 50 percent said they drank low or no alcohol beverages in the past year.
Youth drinking is changing
Youth aged 15-17 years, more are not starting to drink, are drinking later, drinking less, and less hazardously than previous generations. The New Zealand Health Survey shows declining drinking prevalence and hazardous drinking among young people, reflecting the generational shift is a strong indicator that our drinking culture is changing.
“The evidence is clear, Kiwis are drinking less and more adults drink responsibly. Young people are drinking very differently, and we are seeing a positive generational shift,” said Nicholls.
“It is also important that policy decisions should be based on evidence, not outdated assumptions.”
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