The alcohol education charity Drinkaware have published a new survey and are urging employers to support staff wellbeing after finding that furloughed workers have been drinking more during lockdown.

Commenting on the survey findings, John Timothy, Chief Executive of the Portman Group, the alcohol industry regulator and social responsibility body, said –

“This important and timely report from Drinkaware adds to our understanding of drinking behaviours during lockdown. Whilst it is heartening to see that the majority of furloughed workers, as with the wider public, are drinking the same or less than before the lockdown, we should be mindful of the small minority who may have increased their drinking to hazardous levels, potentially developing problematic behaviours.

Whilst a small increase in drinking within Government guidelines may not be a cause for immediate alarm, we would encourage anyone concerned about their own or another person’s drinking to visit Drinkaware or the NHS online for free advice and guidance on how to cut down.”

The Portman Group has urged UK drinkers to maintain their responsible approach to alcohol consumption through the bank holiday period and to avoid any temptation to go overboard.  Portman Group Chief Executive John Timothy said:

‘This is a special weekend for many people across the UK and it’s sad that our pubs – so often at the heart of special occasions in our communities – won’t be open for the VE Day 75 celebrations.

‘Nevertheless, we’d urge people to ensure celebrations take place in the right way – respect the lockdown, drink sensibly and in moderation and avoid the urge to overdo it.’

Prior to the lockdown nearly four in five drinkers stayed within the CMO 14 unit guidelines. Since the lockdown studies show that the vast majority of Britons continue to drink the same or less than before the lockdown. Between 24% and 42% of respondents to various studies have reported they were drinking less.

Despite retail sales of alcohol having increased, it has failed to match the drop-in sales in pubs. This overall reduction in alcohol purchased supports a series of studies which show that the vast majority of Britons continue to drink the same or less than before the lockdown.

We expect that more adults than before will enjoy a low alcohol or no alcohol beer or spirit as part of the online celebrations. Figures from Kantar for the Grocer show that sales of low and no alcohol products at supermarkets and off-licences have leapt 18% compared to the first quarter of 2020 and are up 40% compared to 2019, as consumers also stock up on these products as part of continuing responsible drinking habits.

Excessive alcohol consumption is dangerous and should not be downplayed. People drinking at hazardous levels need professional support to overcome what are often multi-faceted challenges. Those people concerned about their drinking, or about the drinking of someone around them, should seek help from a health professional or visit Drinkaware.co.uk and the NHS for free support and practical advice.

Notes to editors:

1. John Timothy is available for broadcast interviews on request.
2. The Portman Group is the alcohol industry regulator and social responsibility body. It has over 130 Code signatories from producers, retailers and membership bodies.
3. The Portman Group is funded by eleven member companies: Asahi UK Ltd; Aston Manor Cider; Bacardi; Brown-Forman; Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I; Carlsberg UK; Diageo GB; Heineken UK; Mast-Jäegermeister UK; Pernod Ricard UK and SHS Drinks.
4. Statistics on drinking figures are drawn from the following surveys:

• An initial survey from consumer insights agency CGA showed that 42% of respondents reported they were drinking less and 14% said they were drinking more, implying that 44% were drinking the same as before lockdown. Furthermore, 37% said they were drinking less often, while 16% said they were drinking more often. (3 April – 500 sample size)
• A survey on homeworker wellbeing from the Institute for Employment Studies showed that 20% of respondents reported increased alcohol consumption, implying 80% were drinking the same or less. (7 April – 500 sample)
• YouGov showed that 81% of British drinkers were drinking the same (57%) or less (24%) since lockdown. With the remaining 17% drinking more, but only 1% of which reporting ‘much more’ and 16% ‘a bit more’. Those aged 18-24 were both most likely to drink more (25%) and less (28%) when compared to other age groups. (8 April – unclear sample size)
• An Alcohol Change UK / Opinium survey showed that 35% of British drinkers were drinking less often or had stopped drinking altogether and 21% reported drinking more often, implying 44% are drinking the same. Looking more closely, it appears that declines are being driven by the majority of drinkers who already drink less often and within Government guidelines, whilst the increase seems to be driven by those already drinking at more harmful levels. (16 April – 2,000 sample)
• A further survey from CGA of 5,000 adults shows that 83% of Brits report drinking the same (46%), less (28%) or cutting out alcohol completely (9%), although 17% report drinking more than usual. Furthermore, nearly half (45%) of those who typically drink out weekly report drinking less than usual or cutting out alcohol altogether, with 20% reporting an increase in consumption. (1 May)

5. Alcohol sales data are drawn from the ONS showing a 31.4% increase in alcohol volume sales in March 2020. These increased retail sales are more than offset by a collapse in sales in pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants all shuttered by the lockdown. Just taking beer as an example, sales in pubs slumped 40% in March compared to the same period last year, whilst sales in supermarkets and off-licences grew 10.6%, with overall beer sales down by 12.7% compared to last year.

As lockdown loomed over a month ago, we saw numerous media articles featuring supermarket shelves stripped bare as people stockpiled alcohol and other items in the face of continued social distancing measures.

UK alcohol sales jumped by 22% in March, representing an extra £200m in sales of wine, beer and spirits compared to 2019, giving rise to concern that increased sales would be reflected in increased consumption fuelling binge drinking at home.

Several weeks on and, despite the initial fears, the emerging evidence suggests that stockpiling has not resulted in increased consumption. Consider the nation laying down wine, beer, cider and spirits in expectation of supply problems (which haven’t materialised), rather than millions of raucous isolation parties across the nation’s living rooms.

Evidence from researchers, including Alcohol Change UK, shows that around four in five British drinkers continue to drink responsibly, either by drinking the same or less compared to before lockdown. Prior to the lockdown, data from across the UK showed that 78% of adults did not drink or stuck within UK Government weekly drinking guidelines.

For some, the lockdown is providing the impetus to reduce their alcohol intake, with between a quarter and a third of drinkers cutting down or cutting out alcohol altogether.

Recently released surveys highlighting this trend include:

• An initial survey from consumer insights agency CGA showed that 42% of respondents reported they were drinking less and 14% said they were drinking more, implying that 44% were drinking the same as before lockdown. Furthermore, 37% said they were drinking less often, while 16% said they were drinking more often. (3 April – 500 sample size)
• A survey on homeworker wellbeing from the Institute for Employment Studies showed that 20% of respondents reported increased alcohol consumption, implying 80% were drinking the same or less. (7 April – 500 sample)
• YouGov showed that 81% of British drinkers were drinking the same (57%) or less (24%) since lockdown. With the remaining 17% drinking more, but only 1% of which reporting ‘much more’ and 16% ‘a bit more’. Those aged 18-24 were both most likely to drink more (25%) and less (28%) when compared to other age groups. (8 April – unclear sample size)
• An Alcohol Change UK / Opinium survey showed that 35% of British drinkers were drinking less often or had stopped drinking altogether and 21% reported drinking more often, implying 44% are drinking the same. Looking more closely, it appears that declines are being driven by the majority of drinkers who already drink less often and within Government guidelines, whilst the increase seems to be driven by those already drinking at more harmful levels. (16 April – 2,000 sample)
• A further survey from CGA of 5,000 adults shows that 83% of Brits report drinking the same (46%), less (28%) or cutting out alcohol completely (9%), although 17% report drinking more than usual. Furthermore, nearly half (45%) of those who typically drink out weekly report drinking less than usual or cutting out alcohol altogether, with 20% reporting an increase in consumption. (1 May)

Separately, the latest figures from Kantar show that sales of low and no alcohol products at supermarkets and off-license have increased 18% in 2020 compared to the first quarter of 2019, with a rise of 32.5% immediately prior to lockdown, showing how much they have become a new part of many Brits’ responsible drinking habits.

Furthermore, while retail alcohol purchases are up, this is more than offset by a collapse in sales in pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants shuttered by the lockdown. Just taking beer as an example, sales in pubs slumped 40% in March compared to the same period last year, whilst sales in supermarkets and off-licences grew 10.6%, with overall beer sales down by 12.7% compared to last year.

Whilst the majority of the findings from the surveys are encouraging, the surveys still seem to indicate a concerning trend that around one in five are drinking more at home.

These findings should not be overlooked, especially as the lockdown and social distancing measures continue into the future.

If you are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking, Drinkaware has created a coronavirus information hub focused on providing free support and practical advice to help people cut back.

We would urge all consumers who choose to drink to do so responsibly and to look out for each other and their own physical and mental health during this difficult and unprecedented time.

Last week the Government published the latest figures on underage drinking rates across England which suggest a plateauing of children drinking underage and the proportion of 11-14 year olds saying they have drank at all remaining static. This means there is evidently more to do promote an alcohol-free childhood.

However, we should also take into account our progress in tackling underage drinking which have until recently been in decline for many years, with children today significantly less likely to drink alcohol or think that getting drunk is okay than in previous generations.

Furthermore, the latest research from the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) shows that underage drinking has declined in over two-thirds of the 63 countries where national data is available.

YouGov polling conducted for IARD shows that 64% of UK respondents thought that underage drinking rates had either increased (30%) or stayed the same (34%) in the last 10 years, compared to 19% who thought it had declined.

Whilst the latest figures for England are concerning, Government data shows that underage drinking has fallen across every nation in the UK over the past decade:

Under the old Government methodology, the proportion of pupils in England who said that they had ever had an alcoholic drink declined by 31% from 55% in 2006 to 38% in 2014. Under the new methodology, the figures have remained around 44% in 2016 and 2018.

Those who admitted to drinking at least once a week declined 73% from 2006 and 2014 and has remained static at 6% since 2016.

Attitudes towards underage drinking are changing amongst young people, with a 22% fall since 2003 in the number of 11-15 year olds who think it is ok to try alcohol to see what it’s like and a 33% fall in those who think it is ok to get drunk to see what it’s like, although there has been a slight increase since 2014.

A further welcome consequence of falling underage drinking rates can be seen in hospital admissions, with a 55% fall in alcohol-specific admissions for under-18s in England over the last decade.

The IARD polling also shows that 44% of UK respondents believe that the alcohol industry has a responsibility for preventing underage drinking. UK drinks producers and retailers take this responsibility seriously and have put a huge amount of effort and resources into robust ID schemes, support for local partnership initiatives and effective industry self-regulation of alcohol marketing.

Schemes such as the ‘Challenge 25’ programme operated by retailers help to deny minors access to alcohol by requiring staff to ask any customer who looks under 25 for proof of age.

The Portman Group also continues to enforce Rule 3.2(h) of our Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks to push companies to modify or remove from the UK market products which have been judged by our Independent Complaints Panel to have a particular appeal to under-18s. The Panel has upheld complaints against 7 products under this rule in 2019 alone and 23 products over the past five years.

These actions, along with effective education from parents, guardians and schools, have helped push underage drinking rates to further lows throughout the UK.

The UK alcohol industry will continue to work hard to build on this sustained progress of the last 10-15 years.

A recent complaint about Pernod Ricard UK’s Jameson Irish Whiskey Barrelback On-Trade Promotion was upheld by the Independent Complaints Panel (Panel). A copy of the full decision can be read here.

The complainant, Alcohol Change UK, expressed concern that the on-trade promotion offers customers the opportunity to buy a single measure of Jameson’s whiskey in a small metal barrel which can be hooked on to a pint glass. Alcohol Change UK said that the on-trade promotion encourages consumers to ‘try a measure of Jameson with your pint’ – therefore for each pint of beer (around 2.5 units of alcohol) customers are encouraged to add another unit in the form of whiskey, increasing the alcoholic content of each round by 40%.

Reviewing the on-trade promotion in detail, the Panel believed: 

• That most UK consumers would not be familiar with the serve and on the point-of-sale material the serve looked more akin to a chaser, where a consumer would down the shot of whiskey before or after consuming the beer.
• The point of sale material therefore needed to work harder to communicate the intended sipping nature of the serve.
• The words “no more either or” on the point-of-sale material gave the impression that consumers did not have to make a choice between different drinks and encouraged consumers to drink more than they otherwise would have done.
• That the barrel did not urge down in one consumption as it had a flat base so the intention was that it could be placed on a surface and consumed at intervals and furthermore, the phrase ‘with your pint’ was included on the point-of-sale material.

On this basis, the Panel upheld the complaint under Code Rule 3.2(f) for encouraging irresponsible consumption as the promotional material needed to communicate the sipping nature of the serve. The Panel however did not uphold the complaint under Code Rule 3.2(g) because the promotional material did not ‘urge’ consumers to drink rapidly or to ‘down’ a product in one.

A spokesperson for Pernod Ricard UK said: “As one of the leading wines and spirits companies, Pernod Ricard UK is committed to the responsible marketing and promotion of its products. We acknowledge the Independent Complaints Panel’s decision and in light of this, we will ensure that future adverts of the Jameson Barrelback Whiskey clearly communicate a sipping message.”

Commenting on the decision by the Independent Complaints Panel, a Portman Group spokesperson said: “This decision by the Independent Complaints Panel highlight that producers should ensure that promotions and point-of-sale material do not encourage irresponsible drinking. Producers should think carefully about what is conveyed by the overall impression of promotions and point-of-sale material and speak to our advisory service if in any doubt. We are pleased that Pernod Ricard UK will no longer be using this point-of-sale material and are obtaining advice from our Advisory Service on future promotions.”

For more information please contact:

Melanie Woodnick

Interim Director of External Affairs

0207 290 1463 or 07719 324021 or mwoodnick@localhost

Notes to editors:

1. A copy of the full decision from the Independent Complaints Panel (Panel) can be read here.
2. All complaint decisions made by the Panel are available on the Portman Group website.
3. The Portman Group’s Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks applies to, all pre-packaged alcoholic drinks and the promotional activities of all drinks producers. 
4. This complaint was considered under the fifth edition of the Code of Practice. The sixth edition of the Code was published on 4^th March and will come into full effect on 23^rd September 2019. Complaints received after 23^rd September will be subject to the rules in the sixth edition.
5. The Panel, which hears complaints, is chaired by Jenny Watson CBE. The other members of the Panel are: David Macdonald, Angela McNab, Rosalie Weetman, Jon Collins, Graeme Mckenzie, Claire Fowler, Daniel Jourdan and Rachel Childs. More information on the Panel can be found here.
6. Since the Code was introduced in 1996, the packaging and/or marketing of over 140 drinks have been found to breach the Code. In the case of a Code breach concerning a drink’s packaging or point-of-sale material, a timetable for implementing the necessary changes – not normally exceeding three months – will be supplied in writing to the company concerned. Retailers may be notified of the decision taken by the Independent Complaints Panel and requested not to replenish stocks or point-of-sale material of any product found in breach of the Code, after the date specified by the Code Secretariat.
7. The Portman Group provides a free and confidential Advisory Service for alcohol producers to check products prior to launch and seek advice on responsible alcohol marketing. Over 2000 separate advice requests have been answered since 2010. Email: advice@localhost.
8. The Portman Group is the alcohol industry regulator. It is funded by its eight member companies: Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands UK; Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I; Carlsberg UK; Diageo GB; Heineken UK; Jägermeister UK; Molson Coors Brewing Company UK; Pernod Ricard UK.
9. An image of Jameson Irish Whiskey Barrelback On-Trade Promotion is available on request.