Thealcoholic beverages market is very large and diverse, covering a range of products,including wines and spirits, beer and cider, liqueurs, and the newer-style alcopops, andpremium pre-mixed spirits. The UK market was worth about £28.2 billion in 1997, comparedwith just £6.7 billion for soft drinks, and between £5 billion and £6 billion for someof the largest food categories, such as bakery products, confectionery, and fresh produce.Per capita consumption is difficult to measure because of the various different strengthsof the products, but has been estimated to be equivalent to about 9 litres of pure alcoholper annum for the adult population. This puts the UK in the top 20 countries worldwide,but only just, at nineteenth place in 1996.