Aussies consuming more energy drinks and confectionery, ABS data

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its Apparent Consumption of Selected Foodstuffs, Australia report. The report highlights that Australians are consuming fewer vegetables, fruit and milk. On the contrary, Australians are consuming more bottled water, energy drinks, confectionery and chicken dishes.

Apparent consumption in the ABS publication measures the amount of food and non-alcoholic beverages purchased from the food retail sector (major supermarkets and smaller outlets such as convenience stores, butchers, seafood shops, bakeries, delis and fresh food markets). The reporting periods in this specific ABS publication are years ending in June (from 2018–19 to 2022–23) and the calendar months within each financial year.

According to the findings of the ABS report, over the period of 2022–23, 14.8 million tonnes of food and non-alcoholic beverages were sold from supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores and specialty food stores across Australia. This was 1.9% less (292,300 t) than the previous 12-month period (2021–22).

Fewer vegetables, less fruit and less milk

According to the ABS report, Australians bought around 3.9% less food in 2022–23 than in the previous year, a drop of 63 g or 337 kJ a day.

People consumed less of all the major food groups. Vegetables had the largest drop of 14 grams per person per day. This was followed by fruit (down 12 g), milk products (down 11 g) and non-alcoholic beverages (down 9 g).

“Each person had 186 g of vegetables a day in 2022–23, down from 200 grams a day in 2021–22,” said Paul Atyeo, ABS health statistics spokesperson.

More bottled water, energy drinks, confectionery and chicken dishes

According to the ABS report, the greatest relative increases included muesli bars, which rose 5.4% to 3.9 grams per capita per day, along with energy and sports drinks (up 3.3%) and chicken dishes like nuggets (up 2.6%).

Australians are still consuming more of certain food categories than five years ago. These include potato chips (up 16%), chocolate (up 10%) and cereals and convenience meals (up 9%).

Bottled water was up 1.6% from the previous year.

To read the entire Apparent Consumption of Selected Foodstuffs, Australia report click here.

Image credit: iStock.com/VioletaStoimenova