ECONOMY

Whisky has become Greece’s national drink, displacing ouzo, cognac

Greeks continue to be heavy drinkers according to statistics. Every year Greeks consume an average of 6.3 liters of hard liquor, such as whisky and vodka, 35 liters of wine and 40 liters of beer. A massive 68.8 percent of the population regularly consume beer, 61.8 percent wine, 48.1 percent whisky, 30.9 percent ouzo and 19.7 percent vodka. Compared with drinkers in other countries, Greeks have a peculiarity in the habit, that is, they don’t drink for the sake of drinking. Christos Loutzakis, secretary-general of the Federation of Hellenic Spirits and Alcoholic Drinks, said that a number of studies conducted at different times showed that Greeks plan to have a good time when they go out. «They don’t drink excessively for the sake of drinking when they are out socializing, unlike people in other countries,» he said. Whisky continues to be the national drink in Greece, with a 36.6-percent market share. Ouzo, in comparison, has seen its market share decline, accounting for just 17 percent. The Greek distillery industry however is dominated by ouzo which makes up 50 percent of its production. More than half (or 70 percent of ouzo) is produced in bottled form, while the remaining 30 percent is in unbottled form and sold locally. Ouzo is a major export product, with steadily rising demand. In 1981, it was the drink of preference, with consumption reaching 17.1 million liters. Then, only 5.4 million liters of whisky was drunk a year by Greeks, trailing cognac. Over the years however, Greeks’ drinking habits have changed. Last year, they consumed 23.27 million liters of whisky, amounting to 2.32 liter per Greek. Ouzo consumption in contrast reached only 10.35 million liters or 1 liter per person. Vodka was the third most popular drink, with 4.68 million consumed or 0.46 liters per person. Liqueurs followed next, with Greeks drinking 3.49 million liters last year. Greeks also consumed 3.35 million liters of cognac, 2.13 million liters of rum, 1.82 million liters of gin and 1 million liters of tequila. Ready-to-drink beverages (drinks with a low level of alcohol) are fast gaining popularity, especially among the young. Their consumption reached 12.6 million liters last year. Greeks consumed a total of 62.65 million liters of alcoholic drinks last year, up from 53 million liters in 1991. Whisky sales were up 1.5 percent, vodka 1 percent and gin 4.6 percent. It said outstanding mortgage loans in Europe rose by 200 billion euros ($197.4 billion) last year to a total of around 3.9 trillion euros, an increase of about 5.5 percent.

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