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Drinking levels make steepest fall in 60 years
3 Sep 2010Britain has seen its biggest fall in alcohol consumption in 60 years, according to new figures from an industry body.
The British Beer and Pub Association said the year-on-year decline in alcohol consumption across the board in 2009 was the sharpest since 1948.
The figures are compiled primarily from HM Revenue and Customs data for the amount of alcohol sold by producers and importers into the home market.
They follow recent data from the Office of National Statistics which found 39 per cent of men and 31 per cent of women exceed the daily guidelines on how much they should drink.
The BBPA, which represents the brewing and pub sector, said the data showed a six per cent decline in total alcohol consumption in 2009, making it the fourth annual decline in five years.
British drinkers are consuming 13 per cent less alcohol than in 2004, with drinking remaining below the EU average.
Taxes on beer remain steep and are the second highest duty rate in EU - 10 times higher than in Germany and seven times higher than in France, the organisation said.
Other statistics published in the BBPA Statistical Handbook 2010 show beer is by far the pubgoer's favourite tipple, making up 60 per cent of all alcohol sales in pubs, hotels, and restaurants. Wine is in second place at 17 per cent.
Total spending on beer has reached £17 billion a year, or 41 per cent of all spending on alcohol, with the average price of a pint of bitter £2.58 and lager selling for £2.95.
London is the most expensive region to buy a pint, with prices 35 per cent higher than in the North East.
BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: “These figures will confound many pundits as yet again they confirm that as a nation we are not drinking more. Those who suggest otherwise need to focus on the hard facts.
“This handbook also reminds us of just how vital a role beer and pubs play in the UK economy in terms of turnover, jobs, and tax revenues.
“The new numbers show just how closely linked beer is to Britain's struggling pubs, with beer accounting for around 60 per cent of on-trade sales. Policy-makers should take note.”
Reader views (3)
we brits have always drunk a lot in one way thats made us what we are, if we all was to drink three pints of beer a day and smoke twenty fags it could fund the nhs that has to treat the ones that damage themselves while out jogging or taking part in sports, ha ha ha hic!
- paul., busted britain., 03/09/2010 18:42
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The problem is that fewer people are drinking more. We shouldn't be worrying about people being a few units over the limit, we should be dealing with the obsession with getting drunk that so many people seem to have.
- Mark, London, 03/09/2010 16:30
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The reason why the official figures are getting lower is the near saturation of the market of beers and spirits that are not duty paid and hence not in the stats. HMRC have failed for years to resolve the problem to the point now where rather than only independent off licences being stocked with non duty paid the main supermarkets are involved using intermediaries in order to appear clean.
- Stuart, Herts, 03/09/2010 10:10
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