Huge fall in alcohol consumption in first six months of 2009
19.10.2009
UK alcohol consumption is falling at the fastest rate for more than 60 years according to new official figures released today by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).
The amount we drink fell by over eight per cent to 3.81 litres per head in the first half of 2009 compared with 4.15 litres per head in the same period of 2008. The last time the nation’s alcohol consumption fell by more than this was during 1948 when it fell by 11 per cent over the course of the year. The numbers are from official HM Revenue & Customs data and have been compiled by the BBPA.
The amount we drink has now been on a strong downward trend for four and a half years, since a peak in 2004. On current trends, by the end of this year, the amount we drink could be down to the levels of ten years ago – 14 per cent down on 2004.
The numbers call into serious question alcohol policies designed to reduce drinking in the whole population, says the BBPA. Claims by some academics and medical lobby groups that a fall in total consumption would lead to significant social benefits, such as a fall in alcohol related hospital admissions, are not being borne out by the facts.
With over four years of falling consumption, the academic theories in the Government’s much quoted ‘Sheffield Study’ can now be tested against experience in the real world. According to the Sheffield calculations, the fall in consumption of over six per cent between 2004 and 2008 should have resulted in around 20,000 fewer alcohol-related hospital admissions in 2008 and on current trends, around 50,000 fewer admissions this year. However, the medical profession regularly reports rising hospital admissions.
The consumption data shows that the theory of reducing everyone’s drinking to tackle alcohol harm does not work in practice and that targeted policies would be more effective. Despite this clear trend, the Government continues to press ahead with a wide range of measures designed to control alcohol consumption at national level. This includes the Government’s proposals for a mandatory code for pubs, contained in the Policing & Crime Bill, which could cost the industry £300 million at a time when many pubs are facing closure.
Brigid Simmonds, BBPA Chief Executive, comments:
“Alcohol consumption is not increasing. It has been on a firm downward trend for several years. When it comes to effective policies to tackle alcohol harm, we need a debate based on the real facts.
“We can now test the academic theories and models, because we now have real life experience of falling total consumption. As doctors keep telling us things are getting worse, these figures cast severe doubt on the claims often made that the best policies for reducing alcohol harm are those that reduce everyone’s drinking.
“In reality, alcohol policies designed to reduce drinking in the whole population are misguided. Controls on the total amount we drink will not work. What we need is a new debate about effective policy measures that are clearly targeted at the minority who misuse alcohol. Our industry is open to that debate and wants to be part of the solution.”
The BBPA works in partnership with others on a range of targeted social responsibility initiatives including Best Bar None, Drinkaware, The Campaign for Smarter Drinking, Purple Flag, Crime and Disorder Partnerships, Pubwatch and many others.
Brigid Simmonds, BBPA Chief Executive, added:
“Partnerships with the police and local authority licensing authorities have to be the way forward, together with strict enforcement of existing laws. Equally, we need to educate the public about the effects of excessive alcohol consumption to encourage them to make better choices and thereby reduce alcohol misuse and the related harms. The BBPA and our members are playing our part and are always looking at what more we can do."
Notes to Editor
1. The British Beer and Pub Association is the UK’s leading organisation representing the brewing and pub sector. Its members account for 98% of the beer brewed in the UK and own nearly two thirds of Britain’s 54,000 pubs.
2. The BBPA’s analysis of alcohol consumption figures since 2004 show the following: (source: BBPA and HM Revenue and Customs, BBPA Statistical Handbook 2009).
UK consumption of alcohol - litres per head of 100% alcohol
2004 9.4
2005 9.2
2006 9.0
2007 9.2
2008 8.9
2009 First 6 months: 3.81 litres compared with 4.15 litres in first 6 months 2008
3. The Sheffield Study undertaken for the Government used a theoretical model to project the impact that a fall in alcohol consumption across the whole population would have on alcohol related harms. Their model projects that a one per cent per capita fall in alcohol consumption will result in 3,403 fewer alcohol related hospital admissions in the first year. After 10 years the model says that this one per cent fall will result in 12,889 fewer alcohol related hospital admissions per annum. Applying the formula to the trend fall in consumption since 2004 produces the following:
Change in consumption on 2004 Change in admissions
2004 0.0% 0
2005 -1.5% -5,113
2006 -4.8% -16,292
2007 -3.0% -10,138
2008 -6.1% -20,602
2005-2008 -52,145
For further information contact:
Mark Hastings
Director of Communications
mhastings@beerandpub.com
Tel: 020 7627 9151 / 07784 181794