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Just a small one, madam? Get ready for the 125ml wine glass
Sophie Goodchild, Health Editor25 Mar 2009
Bars and pubs will be forced to offer wine in smaller glasses under a new government clampdown on drinking.
Drinkers will be able to order a "mini" 125ml serving so they control the amount of alcohol they consume.
The bid to downsize drink measures is among draft proposals to be published next month by ministers.
A mandatory code of practice for retailers means any venue selling alcohol will have to offer customers a choice of the size of drink they order.
A "standard" glass of wine used to be 125ml - the equivalent of one unit of alcohol - but the majority of bars and pubs have scrapped this in favour of a "small" serving of 175ml or "large" at 250ml which is the equivalent of a third of a bottle of wine.
Health experts including the Royal College of Physicians say the practice is pushing consumers over "safe" drink limits. But retailers revealed today they are prepared to defy government attempts to force them to reintroduce smaller wine glasses.
Britain's biggest high-street chain JD Wetherspoon said it had no plans to change and blamed a lack of demand from customers. Spokesman Eddie Gershon told the Evening Standard: "We don't do 125ml because there is no demand. We need to treat people as adults - customers have to be responsible."
London's oldest wine bar Gordon's, near Embankment, criticised the Government for "meddling" and said it would be only offering 175ml glasses or larger. Manager Gerard Menan said: "People who come here are hard-working, stressed and they want to enjoy themselves having a drink. No one asks us to serve smaller [glasses]."
Davy's is one of the few actively considering reintroducing smaller measures from next month. The bar chain said a 125ml glass "connected" with the Government's message on sensible drinking. Retailers also warn it will cost too much to stock up on smaller wine glasses.
But anti-addiction charity Alcohol Concern said pub and bar owners only needed to buy a 125ml measure at a cost of £9. Chief executive Don Shenker said: "It's about giving consumers choice. [Pub owners] only need to buy a £9 measure. People delude themselves into thinking they've only had a few glasses of wine but in reality they're drinking more because of large glasses."
A 125ml glass of average strength wine is about one unit of alcohol. But many wines now contain 14 or 15 per cent alcohol, increasing the unit count, and a 250ml glass of a high-strength wine could contain as many as 3.5 units.
Royal College of Physicians president Ian Gilmore warned some women especially were drinking more than the daily recommended limit of 2-3 units.
He said: "The proliferation of large glasses mean people are pushed up over those limits inadvertently."
Health minister Dawn Primarolo said: "Glass sizes have increased. Too often the only size available is a large glass - that's a third of a bottle. I would like to see more choice available."
'IT'S A NANNY STATE. SMALLER GLASSES MEAN DRINKERS WILL BUY MORE'
Denise Funke, 27, from Clapham
"I've never ordered a small glass of wine. The Government's trying to regulate drinking habits but it won't work as people in groups will order a bottle. More regulation means more people will stay at home, like the smoking ban. Maybe we're alcoholics but the Government just likes to make our lives really complicated."
Charlie Taylor, 28, a barman from Brighton
"In the pub where I work we don't sell many small glasses of wine. I don't think a new size would make much of a difference. Generally people want big glasses. There is no harm in offering it I suppose."
Aurelia Gorman, 25, a law student from west London
"It's a nanny state. If there are smaller sizes people will just buy two. I think it's too small. People should be aware of what they're drinking rather than bars being forced to help regulate it. I know enough to realise that a large glass has about a third of a bottle of wine."
Elizabeth Barrett, 30, a health worker from Dublin
"On a Saturday night you're not counting your units so from that point of view it's a good thing. The argument though is the whole Big Brother thing. How much do you allow people to police themselves or know when is enough?"
Emma Horton, 27, an advertising researcher from Fulham
"Smaller glasses are not a good idea - people may actually end up drinking more. If you're out for a quiet drink then a large is a nice size as it lasts longer. Otherwise you'd have to buy two. Would they make a larger glass smaller as well? People might say a small is too small and a large too large."
Reader views (27)
I've just had an evening in the pub with my sister and discussed how much wine she could drink and drive us home. There was a debate on how many units you could legally drink and the fact that it all depends on your age, weight, metaboloism etc. We also agreed that a 175ml glass of wine could leave you feeling slightly merry if you've not eaten or feeling under the weather and couldn't guarentee you'd be under the limit. But would you always stop drinking a tasty glass of wine if slightly over the limit ???(and no way of checking). Why not give people more choice and introduce the 125ml glass to stop the temptation? I often drive to meet friends for a meal and would much prefer to only order (and pay for) a small glass which is much more likley to keep me under the safe driving limit.
- Kirsty H, London, 28/12/2009 23:32
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When my father finished all of his university exams in 1960, his group descended on a Leeds pub and ordered 24 pints of beer. The landlord curtly replied that "we only serve half pints in this pub". The immediate response by my father was, "Forty-eight half pints of beer please".
- George, London, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Is that a draft proposal or a daft proposal? Are they also going to ensure that a titchy glass is going to be the same price per ml as a large glass? I doubt it!
- Paul, London, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Can we not force the government to get its' own house in order before it tells the rest of us how to run our lives? Ah, I forget, that would involve calling an election .......
- Marianne, SW France, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Actually. I'm always trying to buy a small glass of wine in pubs to be told that I can't. I want a small glass because I'm small and I don't want to get drunk quickly and I drink white wine. Less white wine in a glass stays chilled for longer and more enjoyable. So, I'd really welcome this change.
Not to mention, I'm uncomfortable with people offering to buy me a drink. I don't want people to buy me a large wine because it's usually a lot of money.
- Rachel, London, UK, 28/12/2009 22:32
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125 ml glass is quite normal on the Continent. Personally, I think it is preferable. If I want a bigger glass, I can order 250ml but, a least, I have the option of a smaller glass. Often quite enough if I am only having a cheese plate.
Enough is as good as a feast. And binge drinking is a revolting antisocial pastime.
- Clarissa, Vienna, Austria, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Wait for it the small glass will cost more per unit tnhan the large glass.just like they have done with soft drinks.The government should order the pubs and clubs to reduce the price of soft drinks first that may encourage us to drink less.
- Dave Smith, Croydon, 28/12/2009 22:32
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what next....sniffing the cork for a £1? maybe a quarter litre of beer???
- Gary, amersham, 28/12/2009 22:32
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You can bet you backside the bars in the Houses of Parliament will still serve large glasses. While they enjoy their fags and cigars. In a bar that's open 24 hours a day.
- Richard, Harrow, 28/12/2009 22:32
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This will just put up prices! Many pubs already charge 10 - 15p extra if you buy a half rather than a full pint. When I queried this I was told this was due to overheads. I queried this and pointed out the barmaid was only busy reading Hello. After I finished my half I left as I got the impression if I asked for another I would bre asked to leave!
- Michael, London, 28/12/2009 22:32
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I'm sure the binge drinkers won't bat an eyelid. They'll decline the offer of the small glass in favour of the larger one every time.
Yet another example of the Governments "joined up thinking" that instantly comes apart at the seams.
- Jock, London, 28/12/2009 22:32
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It might actually maken you think about how much you are drinking - going through 6 small glasses seems worse than 2 large. I say why not, we need re-education in alcohol consumption. It;s not being a "nanny state" - it's simply making people more aware of how much they are drinking - if you want to have 10 small glasses, no one is going to stop you!
- Nicky, london, 28/12/2009 22:32
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What is all the fuss about? Many pubs have always used small glasses. We have been using 125ml glasses for more years than l can remember.
- Vince, London, West London area, 28/12/2009 22:32
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It sounds great to me, please can i have two glasses of wine.
- Stan White, leeds, 28/12/2009 22:32
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I must agree that the only places that sell wine in "bucket" sizes are normally Brit Bars. All over Europe it is a normal 175 or smaller.
However here we go again, the Government gets involved in what should be a personal choice. All with the agreement some parts of the medical profession. They should remember that at one point it was agreed that if you went over 15mph you would die. No ifs or buts.
- Ayliff Mcnab, Spain, 28/12/2009 22:32
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On a lighter note, some years ago after a long exercise on the plain, several of us piled into a pub on our way back. Asking for half a dozen pints, the landlord looked horrified,and said " if gentlemen want pints I have a public bar, I do not serve pints in the lounge".
- Wills, Soton, 28/12/2009 22:32
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I WOULD like to have the choice of a 125ml glass of wine. I often find this is no longer available when I ask for it, and end up getting a large glass which is warm and unpleasant by the time I get half way through it, or sometimes I drink it faster than I would normally to avoid drinking horrible unchilled white. I realise that I'm not forced to drink the entire glass. I could just leave the last third of it everytime, but what a waste of wine and money that would be.
As long as the choice is there to order the size you would like then I really don't see any problem at all, in fact I welcome the extra choice!
- Zoe, Oxford, UK, 28/12/2009 22:32
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I agree with Zoe from Oxford. I would like to have the choice of a 125ml glass. It's good for the diet and wallet and when I just go for a swift one after work I don't have to be guzzling down a "large" 175ml glass! By all means keep the sizes of glasses but given a choice of a small 125ml I would definitely choose this most of the time. And there is nothing more horrible in the summer with a warm glass or white or rose wine because I didn't want to drink it so fast!
- Georgina, London, UK, 28/12/2009 22:32
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On this list, 175ml costs £3.99 and 250ml costs £4.99. That means 125ml would cost £3.33 - fixed costs of service are evidently included at a flat £1.66 per glass. So order one big glass and 2 straws, girls! (saving over 80p each)
- Steve, London, England, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Great news for Pub owners......re-introduce the smaller glasses but charge the same amount!
- Guytom, london, 28/12/2009 22:32
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If the pubs and bars are going to serve wine in small glasses, are they going to charge small prices?
Or is this just another excuse to put up prices.
- Ann Louisa, Southampton, 28/12/2009 22:32
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I think this is a good idea. In continental Europe, if you ask for a glass of wine you don't usually get served some enormous goldfish bowl on a stalk sized serving that you get in pubs here. When I'm out getting a round in, people tend to ask for a "glass of wine", they don't ask for a large or a small v often so they end up with large glasses. Ask yourself why bars and pub companies are so willing to defy the government on this, it's because they know it will lead to smaller profits as people will be more aware of how much they are drinking if they have to make more frequent trips to the bar. Also there will inevitably be more time between drinks as people will be mid coversation and less willing to keep jumping up and down from the bar. It's far easier to keep sipping at a "bucket" sized glass of wine than make frequent trips to the bar.
People may not be counting units, but they will probably be more aware of the number of glasses they have or the number of times they have to go to the bar to get a refill. I personally would be happy to buy a smaller glass of wine, especially towards the end of the night, when you perhaps just want a small one for the road. So pub companies saying there is no demand is not true, how do they know anyway if they have never given us the choice?!
- Mcw, London, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Oft said, but will Labour and it's apparatchick's please just go away and leave us alone
- Dg, Oxford, UK, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Yes, it is a matter of personal choice and self regulation, but I would find both easier if I had the option of a smaller glass of wine. As Zoe says, I don't have to drink a whole large glass of wine, but it's a waste, and the way I've been brought up makes it psychologically hard for me not to finish what's on my plate or in my glass!
- Kitty, London, 28/12/2009 22:32
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I would rather white wine was served in smaller glasses - it gets too warm in a large glass.
- Lillie, London, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Please can we have the reintroduction of the 125ml glass. A 175ml glass contains 2.3 units of alchol, almost the total daily amount for a woman. Larger glasses definitely encourage people to drink to much. The only people who benefit from 250ml glasses are the breweries, how would men like it if their local pub started serving beer only in 2 pint glasses? The 'mini' glass is ideal if you are having a glass of wine at lunch and don't want to return to work sozzled, or are on a diet, or a budget, or want to keep the units down, or drinking white wine and prefere it cool, so come on breweries bring back the 125ml
- Marion Tempest, Hersham, 28/12/2009 22:32
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Finally the Government wakes up. Go into any bar in France and you will always be offered wine in a small glass. No wonder we have a serious drink problem in the UK, drinking wine out a 'bucket' always leads to problems. David Smith, Cannes
- David Smith, Cannes, France, 28/12/2009 22:32
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