(TDB) - The rate of decline in global alcohol consumption is accelerating, according to the IWSR, with the global market for alcoholic drinks shrinking by 1.3% in 2016, compared with an average rate of 0.3% in the previous five years.

The IWSR noted that this decline was accelerating at a “faster rate than has been previously reported by other data companies”, including Euromonitor, which last month said the rate of decline had actually slowed to -0.2%, from -0.8% the previous year.

By category, consumption of still wine dropped by 0.5% in 2016, according to the IWST, while the sparkling wine market grew 1.8%, driven by Prosecco.

Cider declined by -1.5% after years of solid growth, with this reversal blamed on declines in consumption in the South African and particulalry the US, where volumes dropped by 15.2% in 2016 after years of double-digit growth, dragging down the category as a whole.

Beer saw the biggest decline, with consumption dropping by 1.8% in 2016, compared with a five-year rate of -0.6%.

“The global trend is a reflection of developments in three of beer’s largest markets: China, Brazil and Russia, which all saw steeper declines than in previous years, declining at -4.2%, -5.3% and -7.8% respectively in 2016,” it said.