More liquor available to Kiwis

New Zealanders have access to more alcohol than they did a year ago, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Larger volumes of high-alcohol spirits in New Zealand contributed to a 5.5 percent increase in the total volume of pure alcohol available for consumption last year.

Overseas trade manager Neil Kelly said spirits with an alcohol content of more than 23 percent made up 16 percent of the total volume of pure alcohol available in 2010, compared with 14 percent in 2009.

The volume of pure alcohol available per person aged 15 years and over rose 3.7 percent to 9.6 litres.

The total volume of alcoholic beverages rose 0.6 percent to 474 million litres.

Wine volumes rose 7.7 percent (7.3 million litres) and spirit and spirit-based drinks were up 3.5 percent (6.8 million litres).

Although beer is still New Zealand's most popular alcoholic beverage, volumes fell by 2.2 percent (6.8 million litres) last year.

Alcohol statistics measure how much alcohol is available for consumption, but are not a measure of actual consumption.