Scots are drinking less alcohol after multi-buy deals banned
Officers to quiz drinks firms about strength, marketing and caffeine
DRINKERS have cut down their intake of alcohol since the introduction of a ban on multi-buy promotions in Scotland 18 months ago.
The equivalent of almost 4.5 million fewer bottles of wine have been sold in the country since the crackdown, compared to the 12 months beforehand, health chiefs have revealed.
A report published shows a total of 2.6% decrease in the amount of alcohol sold per adult in Scotland in the year following the introduction of the Alcohol etc (Scotland) Act in October 2011
Researchers at NHS Health Scotland and Glasgow University found the act, which included a ban on multi-buy promotions, was associated with a 4% drop in the amount of wine sold in Scotland’s supermarkets and off-licences – the equivalent to 4.5 million bottles.
It was also credited with an 8.5% decline in the amount of pre-mixed alcohol drinks, including alcopops, sold in Scotland, although these account for only 1% of the total alcohol market.
The Alcohol Act included a ban on “quantity-based discounts” such as “buy-two-get-one-free” and restrictions on the display and promotion of alcohol in Scotland’s off-sales trade.
The report states: “The results from this study suggest the introduction of the Alcohol Act reduced off-trade alcohol consumption in Scotland, driven by statistically significant decreases in offtrade wine and RTD [ready to drink] sales. Similar changes were not observed in England and Wales, where the Act does not apply.”
Mark Robinson, public health information manager at NHS Health Scotland who led the study, said: “The Alcohol Act has had the intended impact of reducing alcohol consumption in Scotland by placing restrictions on how alcohol is displayed and promoted.
“Although these effects are welcome, alcohol consumption in Scotland remains high and a large proportion of alcohol is still sold at relatively low prices. There is good evidence to show that the positive effects of the Alcohol Act would be enhanced by minimum unit pricing, which would prevent the sale of cheap, high-strength alcohol.”
SENIOR police will this week challenge drinks companies over the marketing, strength and added caffeine in their products.
The annual conference of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents will hear calls for action at all levels – from producers who make and market strong alcohol drinks, particularly those with added caffeine, to councillors who handle licensing laws.
Not only will the drinks firms be asked to show responsibility, licensing boards across the country will be asked to have a fresh look at their policies in the context of “heeding their duty on overprovision” at a time when the number of premises has increased greatly.
Chief Superintendent David O’Connor said: “There is a major problem in Scotland around the misuse and abuse of alcohol and its link to violence.
“We need a national conference on this to find a way forward to tackle this through new and innovative thinking.”
He added: “Policing can only treat the signs of symptoms of the misuse of alcohol. It is often too late in the journey.
“Changes need to take place much sooner – reduced strength of alcohol and caffeine in some drinks, more robust and better informed decisions around overprovision and a broader understanding of harm caused by the misuse and abuse of alcohol.
“Prevention must be the first consideration. It is the hardest thing to do.
“Better choices must be made around alcohol, its strength, its availability and licensing.”
Chief Superintendent O’Connor added: “Licensing boards issue licenses to sell alcohol. Perhaps it
Policing can only treat the signs of symptoms of the misuse of alcohol. It is often too late in the journey
is time to ask if they have all the facts they need and if they are able to make the tough decisions to keep people safe.”
He argued: “If licensing boards are unable to make the tough decisions about licensing of alcohol perhaps it is time to pass such decisions to the chief constable in order to keep people safe.”
Chief Superintendent O’Connor also spoke of the courage to act robustly to reduce harm then perhaps it is time to consider giving the power to the chief constable to decide about over provision of selling alcohol focus is on keeping people safe.
“Scotland has been brave and innovative in the past.
“Most people would probably agree the health concerns over smoking and the changes that have been made in Scotland have been for the better.”
The association meets later this week in Pitlochry and has already sparked controversy by suggesting the law should be changed to allow a power to warn women when they are about to enter into a relationship with a known domestic abuser.
A motion before the association’s conference has suggested this is similar to warnings to local families when a convicted child abuser is released to live in a neighbourhood, however, the suggest i o ns h ave sparked arguments among civil liberties bodies that this is a pre-emptive action too far.
The conference will debate a range of issues arising from the merger of forces into Police Scotland, the new single force, to areas such as gender equality in the service and the power struggle between the new force and the civilian oversight authority.
The association has broadly backed the merger into a single force and is expected to make the case for the success of the process, including backing for Chief Constable Stephen House.