I saw the following links, and it raised the question for me “does a higher price for beer actually reduce consumption”?

The first thing that comes to mind when looking at this infographic is where did the data come from and is it correct for New Zealand (and Australia). The figures below say NZers have the 4th highest spend per capita in the world on beer. But I am sure I have seen our per capita consumption on beer ranked somewhere down near 20th.

This would imply to me that we have very high pricing on beer (due to government excise), even though we aren’t drinking the most in the world. Does the government look at this when taking into account policy for liquor laws in this country?  Is there any set of information or statistics available in this country that a common sense, not political or revenue gathering, decision can be made about alcohol?

World’s cheapest and priciest beers

Nations with the highest per-capita spending on beer

1. Australia, $748
2. Ireland, $688
3. Finland, $566
4. New Zealand, $453
5. Venezuela, $445

Beer Prices Around The World Compared: The Cheapest, Most Expensive And Most Popular Beer Brands

Australians pay the most — $748 annually, thanks to a combination of heavy thirst and heady beer prices.