About the research
Many British governments have worked to combat the negative effects of alcohol consumption on the population’s health and limit the strain and cost it imposes on public services, and the effect it has on crime levels. Policies under consideration focused on changing the way alcohol is priced, including setting a minimum price and restricting price-based promotions (such as buy one, get one free).
Researchers from the University of Sheffield were keen to address the priorities of policymakers and so focused on these two policies and certain population sub-groups of interest such as underage drinkers, binge drinkers aged 18-24, moderate drinkers, hazardous drinkers and harmful drinkers.
Using data from the UK Data Service collection, the researchers discovered that pricing policies can be effective in reducing crime and the negative health and employment effects of alcohol consumption. Their findings suggest that policies can be developed to make sure those who drink within the recommended limits are hardly affected while those who drink in excess are paying more, and also save hundreds of millions of pounds in NHS and crime-prevention spending. However, the research also showed that if the prime target is binge drinking amongst young adults, then interventions in addition to minimum pricing would need to be considered.
This research has been used by analysts at the Department of Health in the United Kingdom as they investigate these policies in support of policy development.
The work was funded by the Policy Research Programme, UK Department of Health, as part of an Independent Review of the Effects of Alcohol Pricing and Promotion.
Methodology
The researchers used a conceptual model to consider the relationship between price and consumption and the relationship between consumption and harm. They drew on international evidence but it was the UK Data Service data that allowed them to make the policy model relevant to England in the following ways:
- they used data from the Expenditure and Food Survey to find baseline price distributions for England and to estimate new price elasticities of demand for alcohol
- the General Household Survey and the Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People survey were used to find baseline consumption distributions
- the Offending, Crime and Justice Survey was used to estimate the proportion of crime that is attributable to alcohol
- the Labour Force Survey was used to find baseline absenteeism and employment rates
Publications
This research was featured in the following academic journals:
Purshouse, R.C., Meier, P.S., Brennan, A., Taylor, K.B. and Rafia, R. (2010) ‘Estimated effect of alcohol pricing policies on health and economic outcomes in England: An epidemiological model,’ The Lancet 375(9723), pp. 1355-1364. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60058-X Retreived 6 September 2013 from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014067361060058X#
Meier, P. S., Purshouse, R. and Brennan, A. (2010) ‘Policy options for alcohol price regulation: The importance of modelling population heterogeneity,” Addiction, 105(3), pp. 383-393. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02721.x Retrieved 6 September 2013 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02721.x/full
The research also received publicity including:
Economic and Social Research Council (1 March 2013) Data lays foundation for alcohol pricing policy. Retrieved 17 October 2013 from http://www.esrc.ac.uk/news-and-events/features-casestudies/case-studies/25231/data-lays-foundation-for-alcohol-pricing-policy.aspx
Channel 4 News (23 March 2012) ‘Alcohol minimum price plan set out’ [Video file]. Retrieved 6 September 2013 from http://www.channel4.com/news/government-sets-out-alcohol-minimum-price-plan
Channel 4 News (28 November 2012) ‘Minimum alcohol pricing plans unveiled’ [Video file]. Retrieved 6 September 2013 from http://www.channel4.com/news/minimum-booze-pricing-plans-to-be-unveiled
BBC News (28 November 2012) ‘Alcohol minimum pricing ‘effective in reducing consumption’ [Video file]. Retrieved 6 September 2013 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20528547
This work has led to several other outputs:
- support to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance development for Prevention and Reduction of Alcohol Misuse
- a Scottish Government-funded project into minimum pricing
- Interdisciplinary Alcohol Policy Research Programme funded by the Medical Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council