The peak body representing spirit manufacturers says sales figures show the Federal Government's tax increase on alcopops has led to more dangerous drinking behaviour.
The Distilled Spirits Industry Council says the latest figures show sales of pre-mixed alcoholic drinks have fallen by almost 40 per cent since last month's tax increase.
But sales of bottles of pure spirits have increased by about 20 per cent.
Council spokesman Steve Riden says that means more people are mixing their drinks themselves.
"That has increased the danger because people don't know what they're drinking across the drinking occasion," she said.
"People pour heavier and heavier measures and we think that a lot of people are going to be drinking more than they intended to."
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has rejected the claims, saying the figures show that the tax increase is achieving its aim of curbing binge drinking among young people.
"Consumption of the products that are targeted and [are] particularly attractive to young people [has] dropped dramatically," she said.
"There has been an increase in some others, but the industry itself admits that the overall decrease is in the order of a million spirit drinks in just two weeks."
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