Nudging Alcohol Moderation via Excise Tax Reform: The Case of Beer in Australia

ABSTRACT Australia taxes alcohol consumption more than most other affluent economies. A switch to low‐alcohol beer has been encouraged in Australia by it being subject to a lower rate of excise tax than regular beer, but no such incentive applies to packaged mid‐strength beer. Would more or less alcohol be consumed if the tax rates for mid‐strength beer were lowered, for example to those for low‐strength beer? This study estimates changes in demand that could result from such a policy change. It finds that alcohol consumption from each of beer, wine and spirits could fall, but by only a little more than 1% in total.