Portman Group – Written Evidence (LBC0186) Executive Summary 1. The Portman Group welcomes the House of Lords COVID-19 Committee’s inquiry on ‘Life beyond COVID’, as it provides an opportunity to focus on addressing the needs of the minority of harmful drinkers and a chance to recognise that the moderate majority have continued to drink responsibly throughout this crisis. 2. We have been tracking drinking behaviours throughout the crisis. Contrary to sensationalist media headlines, the majority of Brits are drinking the same or less when compared to before lockdown, with a large majority remaining within the UK Chief Medical Officers’ 14 units a week low risk drinking guidelines, including a large number of those who have increased their drinking. 3. However, we are concerned by evidence which suggests that increases in alcohol consumption during lockdown have been driven by those drinking at the heaviest and most harmful levels. 4. We therefore believe the most effective way to tackle alcohol harm post- COVID is through targeted interventions for drinkers who are persistently drinking at the highest and most harmful rates. This requires the Government and local authorities to implement targeted interventions to reach this minority to tackle the complexities underlying their drinking. 5. These policies could include improved access to, and retention in, recovery / addiction services and strategies to improve access to mental health services and tackle homelessness to help protect the most vulnerable in society and tackle the root causes of alcohol misuse. 6. We believe valuable lessons can be learned from Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s successful ‘Managing Complex Patients Project’, which featured a tailored multi-agency approach to tackle the underlying causes of problem drinkers, reduce alcohol-related admissions and save substantial healthcare costs. 7. The Portman Group also welcomes the Department of Health and Social Care’s recognition of the potential of the low and no alcohol category to give consumers a wider array of choice of lower-strength products to help them practice responsible drinking. 8. We seek to be a responsible partner and seek to continue our work with the Government to help achieve its goal of delivering a significant increase in the availability of alcohol-free and low-alcohol products by 2025 and to help the UK become a global leader in the low and no category. The Portman Group 9. Founded in 1989, the Portman Group is the world leading and first industry regulator committed to moderation and promoting a sensible relationship with alcohol among those who choose to drink. We’ve worked hard to act as a bridge with industry and government to increase awareness and raise standards. This has helped contribute to a downturn in misuse. 10.The Portman Group operates the Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks and the Code of Practice on Alcohol Sponsorship. They ensure that alcohol is marketed in a socially responsible way, only to those aged 18 and over, and in a way that does not appeal particularly to those who are vulnerable. 11.The Independent Complaints Panel applies the Code, which has led to more than 160 irresponsible and inappropriate products either being re-branded or removed from the market, in turn driving industry changes and protecting consumers. 12.The Portman Group’s campaign work led to the founding of the Drinkaware Trust, now Drinkaware, the independent alcohol advice charity. 13.The Portman Group has been instrumental in discussions with Government to improve the sector, leading to the Responsibility Deal that removed 1.9bn units from the shelves - primarily through lowering the average strength of products and improving consumer choice of lower alcohol products - and the commitment by industry to inform consumers of the Chief Medical Officers low risk drinking advice.1 14.The Portman Group has more than 130 Code signatories including producers, retailers and membership bodies. The Group is funded by twelve member companies: Asahi UK Ltd; Aston Manor Cider; Bacardi; Brown-Forman; Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I; Carlsberg UK; Diageo GB; Heineken UK; Mast-Jäegermeister UK; Pernod Ricard UK, SHS Drinks and Thatchers Cider. Positives from the pandemic – The moderate majority continues to drink responsibly Rising supermarket sales has not translated into increased drinking 15.Despite rising retail sales of alcohol and media stories of stockpiling, fears that Brits binged their way through lockdown appear unfounded, with the evidence indicating that the moderate majority of UK drinkers continued to remain within the Government’s low risk guidelines - including even those drinking a little bit more than previously. 1 DHSC: Units of alcohol sold, April 2014 Portman Group: Encourages industry to include 14 unit CMO guidance on labels, July 2019 16.Nielsen data suggests that, whilst UK consumers spent an additional £1.9bn on alcohol in supermarkets in the 17-week period covering lockdown to 11 July 2020, consumption almost halved to 1.3bn litres of alcohol, compared to the same period in 2019.2 17.Stockpiling was not limited to alcoholic drinks, with data suggesting that sales of low and no alcohol alternatives rose 32.5% immediately prior to lockdown, illustrating how demand for these products has grown, as Brits stockpiled to moderate their drinking.3 18.Furthermore, increasing supermarket sales reflect a shift in demand away from pubs and bars to drinking in the home, as Brits stocked up, shopping for more but less frequently in order to comply with Government guidance and stay at home as much as possible. Portman Group research shows the majority of Brits are drinking the same or less and are sticking within Government guidelines 19.We have been vigilant in tracking the numerous initial public polls to understand how COVID-19 and the lockdown were impacting the UK’s drinking behaviour. However, to gain a deeper understanding, the Portman Group commissioned YouGov to conduct the first UK-wide survey4 to measure weekly unit intake prior to and since COVID-19 in May, with a follow-up survey in August. 20.The survey found that, overall, the majority of Brits are drinking the same or less compared to before lockdown, with a large majority remaining within the UK Chief Medical Officers’ 14 units a week low risk drinking guidelines. Even among those drinking more, close to half remain within these guidelines. 21.Prior to lockdown, 75% of UK adults said they either did not drink or drank within the CMO’s guidelines of 14 units per week. This equates to 6 pints of 4% ABV beer or 6 glasses of 13% ABV wine a week. 22.When asked if their drinking had increased or decreased since lockdown, two thirds (65%) of Brits who drank alcohol said that they are drinking the same, less or had stopped drinking altogether. Of the 35% of drinkers who say that they are drinking more, four-fifths (28%) say a little more and a fifth (7%) say a lot more. 23.However, the majority of drinkers remained within 14 units: 81% of those drinking less and 72% of those drinking thereabouts the same since lockdown are within the low risk guidelines. Of those drinking more, 44% are still drinking within the low risk guidelines. 24.Our research builds on a number of surveys since March from YouGov, CGA, Alcohol Change UK, IARD and Drinkaware which consistently show that there 2 Talking Retail: Brits almost halve their alcohol intake in lockdown, 29 July 2020 3 The Grocer: Low & no alcohol booming as Brits stock up for coronavirus lockdown, April 2020 4 Portman Group Press Release, 5 June 2020, YouGov surveyed 2070 adults from across the UK online between 22 and 26 May 2020. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. does not appear to have been a spike in alcohol consumption under lockdown. 25.We have continued our research into drinking behaviour since the reopening of the hospitality sector. In our August YouGov commissioned survey5 it showed that the reopening of pubs and bars across the UK has not resulted in an increase in alcohol consumption, but a continuation of previous trends where the vast majority, 88%, are drinking the same (55%), less (26%) or stopped (7%)when compared to before lockdown. 26.Furthermore, weekly unit intake remains similar compared to before lockdown, with the majority continuing to drink responsibly and within Government guidelines. 27.Public Health England’s own research with YouGov, collated between May and July 2020, shows that self-reported average alcohol intake for all adults has remained around 11 units before and during lockdown, with 75% of respondent surveyed drinking the same or less.6 Emerging concerns – Increasing consumption amongst heavier drinkers 28.Whilst our first survey illustrated that not all increases in alcohol consumption during lockdown should be cause for alarm, it did show a concerning increase amongst those drinking at heavier and more harmful weekly unit intakes. 29.Our first survey also backed up previous data suggesting that decreases in consumption are being driven by those who were already drinking less and increases in consumption are being driven by those who were already drinking at higher and more harmful rates. This is replicated in by separate Government data suggesting an increase in those defined as ‘higher-risk’ drinkers by the AUDIT questionnaire.7 30.Furthermore, there is emerging evidence from addiction charities and those struggling with drug and alcohol dependence that the closure of many support services and referrals due to lockdown has left some people isolated without support and structure, threatening a return to more problematic behaviour.8 Future changes – Proportionate measures targeted at the heaviest drinkers 5 Portman Group Press Release, 24 August 2020.