Drinkaware shifts focus to older drinkers

By Lisa Riley

Published: 27 June, 2017

Drinkaware is set to shift its focus from under-age to older drinkers as part of a new five-year strategy.

The alcohol education charity said the new focus was based on “key changes” in UK alcohol consumption, including a decline in total sales alongside growing levels of abstinence among “the young”.

Having identified two groups of older at risk drinkers more likely to be consuming “significantly” above the chief medical officers’ guidelines on alcohol consumption, reducing the number of drinkers in both those groups along with increasing the provision of information, advice and engagement with consumers underpinned the new strategy, said Drinkaware.

“Drinking culture and habits in the UK have shifted significantly over the past five years and our new strategy reflects these changing currents,” said chief executive Elaine Hindal, adding people were now seeking information and advice in new ways and were increasingly looking for personalised help, support and advice about alcohol and its relationship to their health and wellbeing.

The new strategy was based on in-depth understanding of consumer behaviour and would build on Drinkaware’s “considerable progress’ over recent years, said Hindal.

“It provides clarity both for us and for our funders and partners, whose engagement and support will be vital in helping us to meet our goals by 2022.”

Drinkaware’s website was visted by 9.3 million people in 2016, a number the charity aims to increase to 15 million, with 70% of adults aged 18 – 65 years having heard of Drinkaware making it the UK’s leading source of alcohol information, it claimed.

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