According to Statistics New Zealand, more high-strength beer (with an alcohol content higher than 5 percent) is set to hit our shelves.
The availability of strong beer has been constantly rising in recent years, up 17 percent YOY in 2016, and up 38 percent YOY in 2015. This upward trend is set to continue for the next five years.
By contrast, availability of low-strength beer (under 2.5 percent alcohol) dropped 3.5 percent in 2016. Mid-strength beer (between 4.35 and 5 percent alcohol) rose 6.4 percent, and thanks to high-strength beer's double-digit growth, total beer volumes increased 3.7 percent. Last year also saw a rise of 4.2 percent in the total volume of all alcoholic drinks, whereas in 2015 the category had remained unchanged following a 2 percent fall in 2014. The total volume of wine available to the domestic market, in particular, rose 4.7 percent in 2016.
