Top 5 Most Popular Drinks in Australia [2026]

What is the most popular drink in Australia? The clearest answer is water. Based on the latest available national data, Australia’s top five popular beverage categories include water, coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks.

No single official survey ranks every beverage in exactly the same way. This list combines the latest national data with recent Australian conversations to give a practical snapshot of what people drink.

What are the top 5 beverages in Australia?

Drink category	What recent Australian data shows
Water	90.4% of people consumed water on the surveyed day in 2023
Coffee	49.7% consumed coffee or a coffee substitute
Tea	32.4% consumed tea
Soft drinks	22.9% consumed soft drinks or flavoured mineral water
Alcoholic drinks	69% of people aged 14+ had consumed alcohol during the previous 12 months in 2022–23

The first four figures come from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The alcohol figure comes from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The surveys use different time periods, so their percentages should not be compared directly.

1. Water

Water is the clear leader. In the 2023 ABS survey, 90.4% of people consumed water on the day measured. Plain water also made up a larger share of beverage consumption than it did in 2011–12.

2. Coffee

Coffee is one of Australia’s most common prepared drinks. The ABS found that 49.7% of people—and 61.5% of adults—consumed coffee or a coffee substitute on the surveyed day. Flat whites, long blacks, espresso and iced coffee all sit within that wider coffee culture.

3. Tea

Tea remains an everyday choice even when coffee receives more attention. In the ABS survey, 32.4% of people and 38.5% of adults consumed tea. The category covers the traditional black “cuppa” as well as green tea, herbal infusions and iced tea.

4. Soft drinks and flavoured mineral water

In 2023, 22.9% of people surveyed consumed soft drinks or flavoured mineral water. Industry sales research published in 2026 also found that low- and no-sugar products had grown to 65% of the water-based beverage category it studied by 2024.

5. Alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks remain part of Australian dining and celebrations, although overall availability has declined. In 2023–24, wine accounted for 42% of pure alcohol available for consumption, followed by beer at 32%, spirits at 23% and cider at 3%.

For readers deciding between Australian wine styles, our Australian Shiraz Guide explains flavour, food pairing and how to choose a bottle in simple terms.

What Australians are talking about in 2026

Reddit is not a national survey, but recent discussions add useful context to the official figures:

- Coffee identity: Australians compared local espresso and milk-based coffee with American café coffee, with flat whites and the flavour of Australian coffee receiving particular attention in a large May 2026 discussion.

- New café flavours: Sydney drinkers looking beyond standard cappuccino and matcha recommended yuzu and pandan cold brew, hojicha, fruit coffee and tea-based drinks in a 2026 recommendations thread.

- Less sugar, but not one opinion: A discussion about whether full-sugar soft drinks still taste the same showed interest in both traditional cane-sugar drinks and expanding zero-sugar choices. Read the discussion.

- Zero-alcohol interest: Australians are actively comparing the flavour and price of alcohol-free drinks. A recent discussion asked why 0.0% products can cost almost as much as alcoholic versions. Read the discussion.

What about alcohol-free celebration drinks?

Not every celebration calls for alcohol. Maison Blue’s Sparkling White Grape Juice, Sparkling Dark Grape Juice and Maison Eros Sparkling Shiraz Juice are fruit-led sparkling drinks labelled 0.0% ABV. Anyone who must avoid alcohol for medical or personal reasons should still check the label and seek individual advice where needed.

So, what is Australia’s most popular drink?

Water is the clearest answer in the latest ABS daily-consumption data. Coffee follows among the selected non-alcoholic categories, ahead of tea and soft drinks. Alcohol is measured differently, so it cannot be placed directly into the same ranking.

FAQ

What non-alcoholic drink is consumed most in Australia?

Water. In the 2023 ABS survey, 90.4% of people consumed water on the day measured.

Is coffee more popular than tea in Australia?

In the same ABS survey, 49.7% of people consumed coffee or a coffee substitute, compared with 32.4% who consumed tea.

Is wine more popular than beer in Australia?

In AIHW’s 2023–24 alcohol-availability data, wine contributed 42% of available pure alcohol and beer contributed 32%. This measures alcohol available for consumption, not the number of people choosing each drink.

Are Australians choosing less sugary drinks?

Long-term industry sales data suggests they are. Within the water-based beverage category studied, low- and no-sugar products accounted for 65% of sales in 2024, up from 30% in 1997.