Several years ago we launched a responsible drinking campaign called "Remember you can have too much of a good thing" and have more recently supported a local initiative in Southwold & Lowestoft - "Don't Dice with Danger". Andy is the Chair of NORCAS and we continue to work closely with them on a number of projects.
The reason Adnams is committed to responsible drinking campaigns is because we are incredibly proud to make great beers and import fantastic wines, but believe they should be enjoyed in moderation.
Further to this work over the last few years, Adnams is supporting a £100 million campaign launched this month by the Alcohol charity Drinkaware to encourage 18-24 year olds to evaluate their drinking habits and in the long term, change the social acceptability of drunkenness.
The campaign is launched alongside new research from Drinkaware which shows that one in three young adults (32%) claims they don't need advice about alcohol(1). This is despite the fact that in the last twelve months, almost one in four (23%) have been ashamed of their appearance when drunk, 25% have not known how they got home, nearly one third (31%) have blacked out, one in 10 (10%) have been in a fight and just under half (48%) have vomited due to drinking too much.
In a new approach to tackling alcohol misuse, pubs, bars, phoneboxes, supermarkets and off licences around the country are being asked to carry campaign posters, presenting tips for smarter drinking. The campaign's 'Why let good times go bad?' logo and strapline will also be featured on 13 million products including neck labels on bottles, cans and multi-packs. One of four creative executions people will see linked with the campaign is a request that pubs and clubs should offer free pints of tap water to encourage young adult drinkers to pace their drinking.
The Campaign for Smarter Drinking* is funded by the drinks industry and run in partnership with Government. The biggest ever responsible drinking campaign will present young adults with practical tips to help them curb the ill effects of their drinking: eating a meal; drinking water or soft drinks between alcoholic drinks; looking after mates and planning your journey home.
Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, says: "When people are drinking and having fun it can be easy to get carried away and not recognise the point when a good night can take a turn for the worse. Changing the drinking culture in Britain won't happen overnight, but with the right support, information and advice, young adults can change their own drinking patterns.
"Some young adults think they know all there is to know about alcohol, but simple tips like eating before going out drinking, pacing yourself with water or soft drinks, looking after your mates and planning your journey home, can help them stay safe and prevent their good times going bad.
"The financial and social impact of alcohol misuse affects everyone. Parents, teachers, health professionals, charities, the drinks industry and central and local governments all have a part to play in reducing the harm caused to young people by alcohol misuse."
Each year, alcohol misuse for all ages costs society the NHS around £2.7 billion, although the wider cost to society including crime and disorder, social and family breakdown and sickness absence is estimated at closer to £25.1 billion(2). Binge drinking among adults under 25 is of particular concern with nearly 50,000 16-24 year olds admitted to hospital in England and Wales in 2007/08 due to alcohol related causes(3). New research from Drinkaware shows three in 10 18-24 year olds (30%) drinks to get drunk when they go out.
Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Health, said: "The majority of people drink responsibly but for too many alcohol has become a serious health problem.
"The alcohol industry has a big responsibility to tackle excessive drinking and there are many things we can do, by working together, to promote a healthy attitude to alcohol. This campaign is a good step forward - I hope it will help to change attitudes."
We know that Adnams pubs are unlikely to fall into the type of venues targeted in this campaign and our pubs do a fantastic job in promoting a safe and welcoming atmosphere. However, this is the first time the industry has come together as a whole on this important issue and we wholeheartledy support this national campaign.
Further Information
DrinkAware.co.uk
"Remember you can have too much of a good thing"
1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2036 18-24 year olds in Great Britain. Fieldwork was undertaken between 31st July – 3rd August 2009. The survey was carried out online.
2. Cabinet Office, 2008.
3. NHS Information Centre (2009) Statistics on Alcohol: England, 2009
4. Mintel Oxygen, Binge Drinking, Special Report, June 2009