Alcohol Policy UK

Has pub diversification ended decades of decline?

Recent ONS figures show the number of pubs and bars increased in 2019 for the first time in a decade, raising questions over whether a long term downward trend since the 1980s could be coming to an end.

The rise of 315 (0.8%) pubs and bars last year to a total of 39,130 is attributed mainly to the growth in food sales. The figures show more people are now employed in food roles than those working behind the bar and changes in people spending more on eating out and less on drinking out, though multiple factors are linked to changes in pub numbers.

Alcohol duty cuts responsible for 2,000 deaths says SARG report

A new report explores the impact of cuts to alcohol duties made in recent years, estimating it may have led to as many as 2,000 deaths in England.

Download Modelling the impact of alcohol duty policies since 2012 in England and Scotland [pdf] or see SARG and IAS summary here.

Conducted by the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group (SARG) on behalf of the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS), the report estimates the scrapping the alcohol duty escalator has resulted in £341 million in additional costs to the NHS, and other costs such as half a million additional lost days of work at a cost to the economy of £62 million.

'No safe level' for stroke - an end for moderate drinking 'health benefits'?

A new study challenging the much debated health benefits claimed for moderate drinking has been published in the Lancet, adding to the evidence that positive health outcomes amongst low level drinkers are less likely to be due to a direct effect of alcohol.

The research, indicating no protective effect of moderate consumption against stroke, follows a large scale study published last year indicating there was no overall beneficial effect of moderate drinking on mortality risk when considering all conditions, despite lower levels of cardiovascular disease among those drinking at low levels. It states 'the apparently protective effects of moderate alcohol intake against stroke are largely non-causal', and that alcohol consumption 'uniformly increases blood pressure and stroke risk'.

News & updates January 2019: airline 'double standards', pubs, Dry January, gin & more

Selected media stories since the December 2018 round up:

Airlines are not serious about tackling alcohol-related problems on flights, according to research by Which?Travel, which puts Ryanair top for disruptive behaviour. Which? say one in ten passengers experienced bad behaviour on flights in the past year, yet many flight companies still seek to maximise onboard alcohol sales.

An easyJet flight attendant spoke to Which? anonymously, saying airlines only pay ‘lip service’ as airlines encourage staff to push alcohol sales, whilst reporting drunk or disorderly behaviour can mean unpaid hours of sitting around waiting to fill in additional paperwork. Closely behind Ryanair in the bad behaviour table was Thomas Cook, followed by Tui then Easyjet. The government is currently consulting on whether airports should remain exempt from the Licensing Act.

Pubs and policy in 2019?

Pubs look set to continue to be a source of interest within alcohol policy debates in 2019, in part owing to their perceived role amongst some as part of a healthier drinking culture and shift away from cheap off-trade sales.

Pubs have however been in decline since the 1980s, with current estimates suggesting 18 pubs are closing every week, and 1 in 4 having closed since 2008 according to ONS pub statistics released last year.

Can duty cuts save pubs? Lobby groups target 2018 budget

Its no secret that pub numbers have been in decline for decades, but less clear is the role duty and tax policies may have played. Ahead of the 2018 budget, a number of industry-led campaigns have again been vying for the Chancellor's attention in calling for freezes on alcohol duties.

However as seen in the run up to previous budgets, questions over who really gains and who loses from alcohol duty freezes have been raised, with some stating that cuts or freezes actually harm pubs. Whilst clear or publicly available evidence may be lacking, some have pointed out that cuts and freezes to beer duty have seen falls in supermarket prices, but actually rises in pub prices. During the duty escalator period of 2008-2013 (for beer) the rising gap between pub and supermarket beer prices appeared to have been halted, as put forward in an IAS briefing on 'The rising affordability of alcohol' [pdf] and seemingly supported by evidence on tax changes in a 2012 RAND report.

IAS Alert August 2018: airport alcohol disorder, guidelines and risk, pubs & 'responsible drinking'

The latest Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) Alcohol Alert: August 2018 is now available (here for PDF version). Read the editorial here and articles below:

• COVER STORY – Drunk, disruptive air passenger numbers on the rise
• Alcohol industry relies on heavy drinkers
• No level of alcohol improves health, says The Lancet
• Moderate drinking does not prevent dementia
• Alcohol addiction medications improve patient lives

Further calls for alcohol advertising regulation review as venue digital marketing examined

New research released by Alcohol Research UK says advertising regulation needs to be strengthened to better regulate alcohol marketing on social media. The new study finds social media presents 'new, and significant, challenges to the current regulatory regime' of alcohol marketing which is not able to keep pace with the changes in modern technology and advertising practices.

Download ‘All night long: Social media marketing to young people by alcohol brands and venues’ [pdf].

The report finds that:

Sales to 'drunks' - tackling a culture of intoxication?

A research evaluation has been published in the journal Addiction assessing the impact of the 'Drink Less Enjoy More' project that aimed to increase adherence to the law prohibiting sales to intoxicated persons in Liverpool.

Although findings from the project have previously been reported - indicating that the combination of awareness raising, bar server training and enforcement appeared to significantly reduce sales to drunks - the evaluation may be seen as significant given addressing alcohol-related disorder appears central to national alcohol policy in England and Wales.

News & updates March 2018: MUP Scotland and Wales, cuts, older people, beer affordability & more

Selected media stories since the February roundup:

Writing in the Scotsman, Alcohol Focus Scotland Chief Executive Alison Douglas, said "The historic introduction of Minimum Unit ­Pricing (MUP) of ­alcohol is just weeks away and will mark a significant turning point in ­Scotland’s damaging relationship with drink. When this life-saving ­policy comes into effect on May 1, the positive impact on the nation’s health will be felt in a matter of months. In the first year alone, minimum pricing could prevent 60 ­alcohol-related deaths, 1,300 hospital admissions and 3,500 crimes, and those health and ­other benefits will build over time.". See APUK's MUP and UK policy analysis here.