UK alcohol consumption falls to “lowest level this century” – BBPA
UK alcohol consumption in 2012 fell to the “lowest level this century” according to the latest annual edition of the British Beer & Pub Association’s Statistical Handbook 2013.
Print15 October 2013
There was a 3.3 per cent per cent fall in UK consumption per head in 2012, which the BBPA says supports Government decisions to pursue a partnership approach on alcohol. The BBPA, which represents the brewing and pub sector in the UK, believes that these figures, based on Treasury returns, demonstrates the comparative benefit of targeted, rather than broad, measures.
With the trend of declining alcohol consumption continuing, there was still growth in the number of breweries with 1,113 operational in Britain by the end of 2012.
The number of larger breweries remained stable.
The BBPA Handbook also points out that:-
• Drunkeness offences fell 12% in England and Wales during 2012?
• Cask ale continued to increase its market share despite a 1.1% fall in overall volume
?• Beer is the only category with the majority of sales made through the on-trade.
“The continuing fall in alcohol consumption challenges the inaccurate perception that Britain has a general issue with alcohol,” commented the the BBPA’s Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds, “There are specific problems which require targeted solutions in partnership with the industry.
“It is positive for the nation that there’s a continued increase in the numbers of breweries. At the same time, despite the cut in beer duty, Britain’s consumers are still subject to the second-highest tax rates for beer in the European Union – holding back growth for the wider sector.”
The BBPA’s members account for 96 per cent of the beer brewed in the UK and around half of Britain’s 50,000 pubs.
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