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 In 2008, 21% of the male drinkers consumed more than the recommended daily dose of 2 standard drinks but this number came down to 19% in 2012 and 17% in 2015. Interestingly, the number of men drinking over the recommended limit has gone up to 26% while women seem to be more responsible drinkers with only 9 % women crossing the recommended limit. The analysis shows that drinking declined in all but the heaviest drinkers category-who are at higher health risk levels.
One in five people are consuming nearly three quarters of the alcohol sold in Australia, according to a report by Sydney Morning Herald that claims the alcohol industry is dependent on risky drinkers.
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) has called for a boycott on public health researchers working with the alcohol industry. It believes that there is a vested commercial interest in ensuring that problem drinkers continue to drink at risky levels.
A 2014 presentation to the drinks trade association, which was reported by the trade publication Liquor News, reportedly encouraged retailers to identify and target these super consumers, according to SMH."As little as 10 per cent of your customer base can be driving between 40 to 70 per cent of your sales," Nielsen associate director Michael Walton was reported to have told conference delegates.
US research showed "super consumers" of sparkling wine not only bought five times more sparkling wine, but four times more whisky, three times more vodka and three times more wine, Mr Walton was reported to have told delegates. "This is a real opportunity."
Walton tried to clarify yesterday that his point was that alcohol brands needed to innovate and create new products, such as the introduction in the US of a female-friendly, low alcohol alternative to beer. The super consumer was illustrative, but it was not about liquor and it was not about Australia and the whole goal was to say you have a choice in how you find growth for your brand," he said, according to this report..
Michael Thorn, CEO of FARE reportedly says the alcohol industry is exploiting its best customers. ‘Although the alcohol industry keep pointing to the fact that most people drink responsibly and maturely, the data shows the group of heaviest drinkers consume enormous quantities of alcohol. The alcohol industry is totally dependent on risky drinking."
Despite its obvious pros and cons, the Survey has a relevance to India where not many such detailed State-sponsored surveys are known to be carried out despite a bumper crop of heavy taxation that gets heavier every year. Some of the taxes collected ought to be used to carry out professional and independent surveys that can help decided better policies on alcohol rather than knee jerk reaction for the populist policies or irrational and blanket prohibition advocated by some States. |