Chinese now outdrink Brits, Americans and Irish

Chinese consumers now drink more alcohol per person than Britons, Americans and Irish, new research has shown.

Chinese consumers now drink more alcohol than Britons, Americans and Irish

Data from the World Health Organisation published in The Lancet revealed alcohol consumption in China has risen from an average of 4.9 litres per capita from 2003 to 2005, to 6.7 litres over the following five years.

However, when non-drinkers are taken out of the situation – comprising 56% of the Chinese population – the amount of alcohol consumed per person jumps to 15.1 litres of pure alcohol each year.

This is compared to British boozers whose consumption fell from 11.9 to 10.9 litres per person over the same time frame, and when you remove the 16% of the population who abstain from alcohol, the average consumption is still more than a litre lower than China at 13.8 litres.

It means Chinese drinkers now consume more than people in Ireland (14.7 litres), Australia (14.5 litres), the US (13.3 litres), France (12.9 litres) and Italy (9.9 litres).

“Given the dramatic increase in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related social and health problems in China, both policy attention and policy and cultural changes are needed,” the report said. “Although European-style beer and wine have gained footholds, China is primarily a spirits-drinking country.

“In 2001, a volumetric tariff of ¥0·5 per 500 g or 500 mL was added onto the existing alcohol tax as a means of raising government revenues, leading to dramatic decrease in alcohol production and consumption after the tariff’s initial announcement in 2000.

“In 2006, the central government lowered the tax again on spirits, introducing a unified tax rate of 20% of the value. This resulted in a steep rise in alcohol consumption again.

“There is thus evidence that changes in alcohol taxation have significant effects on the levels of alcohol-related mortality.

“Therefore, taxation or price policy could be considered as an effective means to reduce rates of alcohol-related health and social harms.”