Alcohol in the United Kingdom explained

Alcohol in the United Kingdom is legal to buy, sell and consume. Consumption rates within the country are high among the average of OECD nations however average among European countries but consistently ranks highest on binge drinking culture.[1] [2] An estimated 29 million people in the United Kingdom drank alcohol in 2017.[3]

History

Evidence of historical consumption of alcohol in the United Kingdom stretches back to possibly 12,000 years ago of alcohol fermentation jugs being found.[4]

By the 8th century the consumption of alcoholic beverages had become a "staple part of the British diet among manual workers".

Roman history

During the Roman Empire, British pub culture, in tabernae, began, combining the northern European tradition of "extremes of heavy episodic drinking" of "feast drinking", which remained untouched from Roman pressure and social drinking within bars.[5]

18th to 19th century

Health and societal perceptions

During the eighteenth century, alcohol was regarded as a safe substance; its regular consumption was believed to confer health benefits and was considered vital in the country's social milieu. According to Tim Murphy, although alcohol consumption in the nineteenth century did not increase, its consumption increasingly began to emerge as a societal problem and be perceived as an antecedent to social chaos and moral corruption. The onset of the Industrial Revolution is believed to have played a role in the transmutation of societal perception due to the threat drinking posed on the new economic structure reliant on the masses working in factories. Furthermore, excessive drinking was classified as a disease and became subject to medical research and treatments, whereas previously it had only elicited religious condemnation.[6]

Attempts at prohibition

Although the sale or consumption of commercial alcohol has never been prohibited by law in the United Kingdom, historically, various groups in the UK have campaigned for the prohibition of alcohol; including the Society of Friends (Quakers), The Methodist Church and other non-conformists, as well as temperance movements such as Band of Hope, temperance Chartist movements of the nineteenth century and the United Kingdom Alliance who advocated for a legal ban of alcohol. An attempt was also made during the First World War which was due to consumption of alcohol by the army.[7] Legislation passed which had a prohibitionist agenda was the Sale of Beer Act 1854 which restricted Sunday opening hours however this was repealed following widespread rioting in conjunction, another attempt was made in 1859 with a prototype prohibition bill but this was overwhelmingly defeated in the House of Commons.[8]

20th to 21st century

In the 1930s, the book The Pub and the People' was produced by a group of observers who went to observe life in a normal British pub and to come back and report on the culture and activities in working class life.

In 2004, alcohol consumption peaked at an all time high of 11.6 litres[9] which was around double than in 1954.[10] [11]

Consumption rates

Consumption rates for alcohol in the United Kingdom are high along the general trend of OECD nations.

However the disparity between general consumers and people who consume alcohol more than the regular is stark, around 4.4% of drinkers in the entire UK drink around 1/3rd of all alcohol consumed in the country in 2018.[12]

Binge drinking

Heavy binge drinking is well established in Britain and the country consistently ranks highest for binge drinking culture in health reports.

The percentage of people binge drinking varies slightly from constituent country to country, In England in 2019 this was 15%, Wales; 14% and Scotland 18%.[13]

Cost

Binge drinking costs the UK economy approximately £20 billion a year; 17 million working days are estimated to be lost due to hangovers and drink-related illness each year.[14] The cost of binge drinking to employers is estimated to be £6.4 billion and the cost per year of alcohol harm is estimated to cost the National Health Service £2.7 billion.[15] Urgent action has been recommended to understand the binge drinking culture and its aetiology and pathogenesis and urgent action has been called for to educate people with regard to the dangers of binge drinking.

Teetotal

People who do not drink alcohol (teetotal) are a rising percentage of people in the UK, especially amongst younger generations, standing at 20% of the population. This percentage varies through the constituent countries of the UK, in England in 2019, this percentage is 20%, Scotland; 17%, Wales; 20% and Northern Ireland; 19%. In numerical terms, this equates to 10.4 million people.

Death and disorder rate

Deaths due to alcohol consumption have historically risen since the 1990s. In 2020, this has peaked in a 20-year high for England and Wales.[16]

Type of drinks

The United Kingdom has historically been a beer consuming country[17] [18] however from the 1960's onwards wine has increased in prevalence of consumption. This increase in consumption has largely come from women, According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, 7 out of 10 wine bottles bought in supermarkets are bought by women.

Beer

See main article: Beer in the United Kingdom.

Historically, beer has been the most popular choice of drink in Britain, but since the 1960s and more prominently the 1980s wine consumption has mostly taken up beer's previous market domination within the UK.

In 2018, beer consumption once again became the most consumed type of alcohol within the UK with 8.5 billion pints sold in the year while wine had a total of 7.4 billion 175ml glasses worth sold and cider selling 1.2 billion pints.[19]

Cider

See main article: Cider in the United Kingdom.

Cider is also a popular drink within the United Kingdom with the country being the biggest producer of cider within Europe. The UK also is the world's biggest consumer of cider brands. In 2018, a total of 1.2 billion pints worth of cider was sold in the UK. Traditionally, the drink was made from apples, but is not uncommon for several other fruits to be used in cider production, including but not limited to; pears, kiwifruit, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pineapples and passion fruit.

Wine

See main article: Wine from the United Kingdom.

Wine within the United Kingdom has become a more popular choice of beverage within recent decades.

Production of wine with the United Kingdom compared with recent consumption is quite low but has increased since steadfast since the 1990s. In 2008, production of wine was around 1.34 million bottles which doubled to 3.17 million the following year in 2009.[20] In 2018, a record number had been reached of 15.6m bottles being produced in England and Wales.[21]

Wine had a total of 7.4 billion 175ml glasses worth sold in 2018.

Spirits

Spirits have historically since the nineteenth century, been roughly consumed at the same rate over time in the UK.

British spirits charged for consumption in England and Wales (in thousands of gallons)[22] :163
YearConsumption
1684527
17001,223
17102,201
17202,483
17303,778
17417,429
17438,203 (peak)
17506,603
17601,819
Consumption of spirits per head in the UK, 1800–1914:167
YearHomeImportedTotal
1800 - 040.490.310.8
1805 - 90.60.250.85
1810 - 140.610.230.84
1815 - 190.520.170.69
1820 - 240.510.170.68
1825 - 290.90.21.10
1830 - 340.910.21.17
1835 - 390.990.180.87
1840 - 440.740.130.96
1845 - 490.810.151.08
1850 - 540.90.180.99
1855 - 590.820.170.99
1860 - 640.680.190.87
1865 - 690.710.260.97
1870 - 740.840.301.14
1875 - 790.890.321.21
1880 - 840.810.241.05
1885 - 890.720.220.94
1890 - 940.790.211
1895 - 990.820.211.03
1900 - 040.840.21.04
1905 - 90.710.150.86
1910 - 140.550.120.67
Consumption of spirits in the UK, 1955–95 per person in pints:176
YearConsumption
1955 - 592.7
1960 - 643.3
1965 - 693.7
1970 - 744.7
1975 - 796.4
1980 - 846.3
1985 - 896.6
1990 - 955.9

In 2017, drinkers were roughly spending £1,500 on mostly premium spirits.[23]

Popular brands

Popular brands of alcohol in the United Kingdom include;

Brands! colspan="2"
Q2 2022
YouGov polling[24]
FamePopularity
Guinness97%56%
Stella Artois96%51%
75%49%
Magners85%47%
San Miguel88%47%
Bulmers86%45%
78%45%
Kronenbourg 166488%45%
91%43%
96%43%
Carlsberg94%43%
Strongbow89%43%
Thatchers Gold78%41%
Old Speckled Hen74%40%
Foster's90%39%
Carling93%38%
Beck's87%38%
Sol75%38%
Strongbow (Dark Fruits)76%37%
Amstel82%37%
Brands! colspan="2"
Q2 2022
YouGov polling[25]
FamePopularity
Baileys94%55%
Malibu95%53%
Smirnoff94%51%
Bacardi95%51%
Jack Daniels95%47%
Pimm's91%46%
Martini92%46%
Beefeater94%45%
Blossom Hill81%45%
Dom Pérignon82%45%

Price

Price

The price of alcohol has gradually become more affordable overtime on a per capita basis.[26] This price varies from location in the UK, in London the average price of a pint is £5.20 while across the UK as a whole it is £3.50.[27]

Sales

Alcohol sales fell in 2020 due to the closure of pubs during the COVID-19 pandemic.[28]

The average spend on alcohol per person per week in 2020 was £7.43 across the entire UK, which was 10% higher than in 2017.

Law

See main article: Alcohol licensing laws of the United Kingdom.

Alcohol licensing laws have changed over time and vary between constituent countries of the UK but generally remain consistent.

Societal impact

Alcohol has had a societal impact on the UK culturally and economically . Heavy binge drinking is well established in Britain and the country consistently ranks highest for binge drinking culture in health reports.[1][2]

Economy

See main article: Economy of the United Kingdom. The UK alcohol industry makes up around 2.5% of the country's total GDP to national income which equates to a contribution of £46 billion a year, in employment, the industry is responsible for 770,000 jobs which is 2.5% of all employment in the country.[29]

See also

References and notes

Notes

  1. Web site: Drinking trends in the UK . 2022-08-04 . Alcohol Change UK . en-GB.
  2. Web site: Britain's binge drinking levels are among the highest in the world . 2022-08-17 . www.telegraph.co.uk. 13 May 2014 .
  3. Web site: Adult drinking habits in Great Britain - Office for National Statistics . 2022-08-17 . www.ons.gov.uk.
  4. Web site: 2018-06-20 . Are Alcohol Consumption Trends Changing in the UK - UKCBC News . 2022-08-17 . UKCBC . en-GB.
  5. Web site: 2005-11-19 . 2,000 years of binge drinking . 2022-08-22 . The Independent . en.
  6. Book: Murphy, Tim . Rethinking the War on Drugs in Ireland . 1996 . Cork University Press . 978-1-85918-070-9 . 8 . en.
  7. Daily Telegraph, Friday 23 March 1917, reprinted in Daily Telegraph, Thursday 23 March 2017, p. 30
  8. Nick Brownlee (2002) This is Alcohol: 99–100
  9. Web site: 2018 . Alcohol consumption . Institute of Alcohol Studies.
  10. Web site: Giles . Chrissie . Why do the British drink so much? . 2022-08-22 . www.bbc.com . en.
  11. Web site: 2008-06-12 . BMJ - Health Intelligence . 2022-08-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080612094918/https://healthintelligence.bmj.com/hi/do/public-health/topics/content/alcohol-misuse/ipts.html . 2008-06-12 .
  12. Web site: Sumnall . Harry . Hamilton . Ian . Britain's drinking habits revealed – new figures . 2022-08-25 . The Conversation . May 2018 . en.
  13. Web site: Alcohol Consumption UK . Drinkaware.
  14. Unit . Strategy . March 2004 . Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England . dead . Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom . 9 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171118173523/http://www.ave.ee/download/Alcohol%20England.pdf . 2017-11-18 . 2019-04-14.
  15. Ward . RJ. . Lallemand . F. . de Witte . P. . March–April 2009 . Biochemical and neurotransmitter changes implicated in alcohol-induced brain damage in chronic or 'binge drinking' alcohol abuse . Alcohol Alcohol . 44 . 2 . 128–35 . 10.1093/alcalc/agn100 . 19155229 . free. 10.1.1.695.779 .
  16. News: 2021-05-06 . Alcohol deaths highest for 20 years in England and Wales . en-GB . BBC News . 2022-08-17.
  17. Karlsson . Thomas . Simpura . Jussi . 2001 . Changes in living conditions and their links to alcohol consumption and drinking patterns in 16 European countries, 1950 to 2000 . dead . . 18 . 1 . 82–99 . 10.1177/145507250101801S03 . 1455-0725 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170808065151/http://www.nordicwelfare.org/PageFiles/9407/Changes%20in%20living%20conditions%20and%20their%20links%20to%20alcohol%20consumption%20and%20drinking%20patterns%20in%2016%20European%20countries,%201950%20to%202000.pdf . 8 August 2017 . 8 July 2017 . 73002019.
  18. Book: Shield . Kevin D. . Alcohol in the European Union: Consumption, harm and policy approaches . Kehoe . Tara . Gmel . Gerrit . Rehm . Maximilien X. . Rehm . Jürgen . WHO Regional Office for Europe . 2012 . 978-92-890-0264-6 . Anderson . Peter . Copenhagen . 10–28 . Societal burden of alcohol . 8 July 2017 . Møller . Lars . Galea . Gauden . http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/160680/e96457.pdf.
  19. Web site: 2019-10-04 . Beer confirmed as Britain's most popular alcoholic drink after 8.5 billion pints were sold in 2018 . 2022-08-26 . British Beer and Pub Association . en-GB.
  20. Web site: English wine production doubles to 3 million bottles . 2022-08-25 . www.telegraph.co.uk. 3 May 2010 .
  21. Web site: 2019-02-01 . Record 15.6m bottles of wine produced in England and Wales last year . 2022-08-25 . The Drinks Business . en-US.
  22. Book: Burnett . Proffessor John . Liquid Pleasures: A Social History of Drinks in Modern Britain . Burnett . John . 2012 . 10.4324/9780203019856. 9780203019856 .
  23. Web site: 2017-07-19 . UK drinkers spend more on premium spirits, study finds . 2022-08-26 . The Spirits Business . en-US.
  24. Web site: The most popular beer & cider brands in the UK Food YouGov Ratings . 2022-08-21 . yougov.co.uk . en-gb.
  25. Web site: The most popular alcohol brands in the UK Food YouGov Ratings . 2022-08-22 . yougov.co.uk . en-gb.
  26. Web site: Easton . Mark . BBC - Mark Easton's UK: Map of the week: Booze, cost and consumption . 2022-08-24 . www.bbc.co.uk . en.
  27. Web site: 2018-08-05 . Camra: more than half of UK adults struggle to afford to drink in pubs . 2022-08-26 . the Guardian . en.
  28. Web site: 2020-12-19 . UK alcohol sales fall despite rise in home drinking . 2022-08-17 . the Guardian . en.
  29. Web site: February 2017 . SPLITTING THE BILL: ALCOHOL'S IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY . Institute of Alcohol Studies.