Heavy drinkers fuel alcohol industry

MORE than 81 per cent of the alcohol sold in supermarkets and off-licences is bought by just a quarter of the population, scientists have disclosed.

Drinkers who consume more than the UK guideline of 14 units a week make up 25 per cent of the population but provide 68 per cent of alcohol industry revenue, according to a paper published in the journal Addiction.

The 4 per cent of the population whose drinking is considered harmful – more than 35 units a week for women and more than 50 for men – account for 23 per cent of all alcohol sales revenue.

The research also revealed alcohol revenue would decline by 40 per cent, or £13billion per year, if all drinkers were to comply with the advised limits.

The study also found that 60 per cent of sales in pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants are to those drinking above guideline levels and that heavy drink- ers generate a greater share of revenue for producers of beer (77 per cent), cider (70 per cent) and wine (66 per cent) than spirits (50 per cent).

The report produced by the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) and the University of Sheffield’s Alcohol Research Group said the findings “raise serious questions about the conflicts of interest inherent to voluntary schemes and self-regulation”.

Aveek Bhattacharya, policy analyst at the IAS and the lead author of the paper said: “Alcohol causes 24,000 deaths and over 1.1million hospital admissions each year in England, at a cost of £3.5billion to the NHS.

“Yet policies to address this harm, like minimum unit pricing and raising alcohol duty, have been resisted at every turn by the alcohol industry. Our analysis suggests this may be because many drinks companies realise that a significant reduction in harmful drinking would be financially ruinous.”

Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, added: “For years the alcohol industry has presented itself as part of the solution, not the problem, when it comes to harmful drinking. This research shows that their business model is fundamentally reliant on encouraging millions of people to risk their health by drinking above the Government’s own recommended limits.”

However, John Timothy, CEO of the Portman Group, the alcohol industry’s self-regulatory marketing body, said alcohol consumption has been declining in the UK.

“Drinks producers have contributed to this through their commitment to encouraging moderation through the development of a wide range of low and no-alcohol products,” he added.