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Background There are two main ways to assess alcohol consumption in a population: per capita estimates, usually derived from data on taxable alcohol available for consumption, and population‐based surveys. Population‐based survey estimates of alcohol consumption are often compared with estimates based on taxable alcohol available for consumption as a measure of validity. Discrepancies between these two measures occur, with the majority of population‐based surveys substantially underestimating taxable alcohol available for consumption.

Methods This article argues, however, that high proportions of taxable alcohol available for consumption can be accounted for by population‐based surveys and reports a method of data collection for a national alcohol survey that has accounted for 94% of the taxable alcohol in New Zealand.

Results The ability of the survey methodology to account for this proportion …