Alcohol consumption decreases
The population of Switzerland is drinking less and less alcohol - at least on average. Wine consumption is declining particularly sharply.
Wine consumption declined again after a temporary increase in 2013. On average, the population in Switzerland consumed one liter less than in the previous year (2014: 35.1 liters; 2013: 36.1 liters). The decline is particularly pronounced for Swiss red wines. Only sparkling wines escaped this downward trend. As a result of the simultaneous decline in imports and domestic production, spirits consumption also declined, falling from 3.8 to 3.7 liters in 2014. Average beer consumption, on the other hand, remained at 55.8 liters per capita. In 2014, per capita consumption thus amounted to 8.1 liters of pure alcohol (for comparison purposes, all alcoholic beverages are converted into 100 percent by volume).
Statistical and effective consumption
Since the end of the 19th century, statistics on alcohol consumption in Switzerland have been compiled unchanged using the same calculation methods. The calculation of average consumption is based on the quantities of alcohol sold or purchased in Switzerland and on the total Swiss resident population. Thanks to this consistency, long-term trends can be identified. On the other hand, the statistical averages do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the real consumption of the various population groups. Reliable information can only be obtained by comparing the statistical average consumption with consumer surveys (e.g. Addiction Monitoring Switzerland).
Alcohol in numbers
The figures in this article are taken from the brochure Alcohol in numbers. The Swiss Alcohol Board (SAB) publishes an annual overview of the most important statistics on alcohol, covering production, imports, exports and consumption. Alcohol in Figures also provides data on the ethanol market, alcohol tax rates in Europe and the activities of the SAB.
