The current situation

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The current situation

• Alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder
• Alcohol-related violent crime fell by a third,
  from about 1.5million incidents in 1997 to fewer
  than 1 million in 2007/08
• Over the past 5 years, the proportion of people
  who think drink and rowdy behaviour in public
  places is a fairly big or very big problem in
  their area rose from 22 to 25 of all those
  asked.
• Drinking by those young people under the age of
  18
• The proportion of 11-15 year olds who have ever
  drunk alcohol is falling (61 in 2003 to 54 in
  2007). Average weekly consumption of alcohol by
  11-15 year olds who do drink alcohol has varied
  since 2000 with no clear pattern however,
  average consumption in 2007 fell from 2006. Using
  a revised method of calculation, those pupils who
  drank in the last week consumed 12.7 units weekly
  in 2007.
• Drinking that causes ill health
• New statistics show alcohol-related hospital
  admissions are rising by 80,000 admissions a
  year, with 811,000 admissions (6 of all
  admissions) in 2006.

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Recent Developments

• Developing the evidence of harms
• Alcohol-related hospital admissions
• Independent review of the effects of alcohol
  pricing and promotion
• Reviewing self-regulatory commitments by the
  alcohol industry
• Monitoring the industrys voluntary labelling
  agreement
• KPMG review of social responsibility standards
  document

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KPMG were commissioned to undertake a review of
the alcohol industrys Social Responsibility
Standards

• KPMG carried out over 50 interviews and carried
  out observations at 597 premises over 8 locations
• Although there was some evidence of good
  practise, overall they found
• Standards not widely adhered to
• Not a catalyst for self-regulation
• Not an effective supplement to mandatory
  requirements
• No evidence to link them to a reduction in
  alcohol-related harms

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Governments initial view is that a revised code
should become mandatory

• A mandatory code might cover the following
  issues
• Alcohol social responsibility principles
• The sensible drinking message
• Marketing naming, packaging, pos, sponsorship,
  websites etc
• Retailing display, staff training
• Exit and dispersal
• Management and design of outlets
• Promotions
• Prevention of underage/intoxicated sales

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The consultation asks the following questions on
responsible retailing practices

• What are the most important issues that need to
  be addressed?
• Should the same restrictions apply to
• All premises selling alcohol?
• All premises with some exemptions?
• Only certain types of premises?
• All premises within a defined area?
• A combination of the above?

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The consultation considers 3 ways of making the
Standards more effective

• Revise the current code, keep it voluntary, but
  encourage enforcers to consider it during
  inspections
• As option 1 but allow local authorities to agree
  mandatory restrictions/requirements to all/some
  premises in a problem area
• Legislate to create either a stand-alone
  mandatory code or introduce it as a condition of
  licences.

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Could price and promotions be dealt with in a
mandatory code?

• A voluntary code in which businesses agreed to
  limit price/promotions is anti-competitive
• Primary legislation is needed in order to limit
  price/promotions though they could still be
  included in a mandatory code
• The Govt will consider the need to restrict
  price/promotions following the consultation and
  once the evidence (Phase II from ScHARR) is in.

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Making sure advice and help are available for
those who need them

• Action to date
• DrinkCheck, Your Drinking You, improved
  Drinkline
• Direct marketing campaign
• Drinkaware - working with Industry
• Training HCPs and front-line workers
• Residential support

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Questions

• Is there enough advice available? What else is
  needed and who should provide?
• Should alcohol advertising include health and
  unit info? How could this be achieved?
• In addition to treatment for the minority, what
  else could be done, and by whom, to support those
  who find it difficult to cut down?

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Consultation Questions

• How might a new code be made effective in
  stopping licensed premises from engaging in
  practices that encourage people to drink
  excessively and irresponsibly?
• If there continues to be slow progress in
  implementing a voluntary labelling scheme, should
  the Government take the next steps to make it a
  legal requirement to include health and unit
  information on all bottles and cans?
• What are the most important issues that need to
  be addressed in an alcohol retailing code?
• Should all the same restrictions be applied to
• all premises selling alcohol
• all premises with some exemptions
• only certain types of premises (if so, how would
  you define one of these?)
• all premises within an area experiencing
  problems or
• a combination of these.
• Should an alcohol retailing code be made
  mandatory through further legislation? If so, how
  should it be applied?
• Should a mandatory code, if introduced, cover
  proportionate and necessary actions to prevent
  health harms as well as crime and disorder?
• Do you think there is enough advice available for
  those who want to drink less? What other kings of
  help are needed and who should provide them.
• Should alcohol advertising include health and
  unit information? How could this be achieved?
• In addition to providing alcohol treatment for
  the small number of drinkers with a serious
  dependency problem, what else could be done, and
  by whom, to support people who find it difficult
  to cut down on drinking.