Australia's alcohol supply has fallen to its lowest level in nearly a decade, with new data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showing a 3.7 per cent drop in the total amount of alcohol available for purchase in 2023–24. This marks the biggest yearly decline since records began in the 1960s.
Sober-coach Sarah Rusbatch, who gave up drinking in 2019 after a drunken fall left her with a bruised face and split lip, says health awareness is driving the change. 'There's so much more information now about the health risks of alcohol that we can't ignore, particularly the link to breast cancer,' she told Daily Mail Australia. She added that wellness culture has made drinking feel outdated: 'In today's modern world energy is king, and there simply isn't room for alcohol where energy and productivity are concerned.'
A Flinders University study of 23,000 Australians has confirmed the trend, with more people giving up alcohol altogether. Lead researcher Dr Gianluca Di Censo said Gen Z are nearly 20 times more likely to skip drinking compared with Baby Boomers. 'This isn't just a phase, it's a sustained change in behaviour that could have long-term public-health benefits,' he said.
However, the study also found that Gen Z drink more per occasion than Boomers, meaning binge drinking still occurs, but regular heavy drinking is declining. Meanwhile, the Silent Generation (born before 1946) were found to drink the most per week, suggesting older Australians remain most at risk of alcohol-related harm.
Rusbatch noted that the rise of sober celebrities such as Bradley Cooper, Brad Pitt, and Anne Hathaway has helped normalise a life without alcohol. 'So many leading names talk openly about how much better their lives are without alcohol, and that resonates across generations,' she said.
