BREWERS and licensees were told yesterday to tackle alcohol abuse or face a government crackdown on the £30 billion-a-year drinks market.

A government strategy to reduce the harm caused by alcohol abuse made clear that ministers are becoming impatient at the failure of the industry to take firmer action to deal with excessive drinking.

A new alcohol advertising campaign will also be launched in an attempt to curb binge drinking by an estimated six million people every week. The message — “It’s not cool to get drunk” — will be included on adverts suggesting that being drunk makes it more difficult to “pull someone of the opposite sex” and makes you “look silly” in front of friends.

Public houses, clubs, supermarkets and shops will be encouraged to display posters giving warning of the dangers of excess alcohol consumption after officials admitted that the current focus of sensible drinking lacked credibility with the public.

The Government’s alcohol harm strategy document stated that the public could not rely on the belief that one glass of wine or half a pint of beer equalled a unit because of changes made by the drinks industry. Drinks had become stronger, with an average wine now showing a strength of 12.5 per cent alcohol, although a unit was based on a strength of 9 per cent.

Wines are also now routinely sold in glasses providing 175ml or 250ml, compared with a unit based on 125ml.

In a foreword to the 98-page document, Tony Blair said: “For the drinks industry the priority is to end irresponsible promotions and advertising to better ensure the safety of their staff and customers and to limit the nuisance caused to local communities.”

But the document stops short of imposing legislative curbs on the industry, despite growing alarm in 10 Downing Street and the Home Office at the disorder and costs caused by antisocial behaviour linked to excessive drinking.

Although the Government is to press ahead with relaxing licensing laws next year, ministers are worried that antisocial behaviour will increase.

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, would like to end cheap drink promotions, such as happy hours, and is keen to impose a levy on clubs and pubs to pay for the costs of policing town centres at night.

But the new strategy, produced after six years, outlines a voluntary approach in which the brewers, pubs and supermarkets will be urged to take part in a range of initiatives with Government and local councils.

Under the strategy for England and Wales, the industry is to be encouraged to add messages to drinks labels encouraging sensible consumption while at the same time the Government is to look at the prospect of an EU-wide compulsory alcohol warning.

Pubs and shops will be encouraged to display posters highlighting sensible drinking and adverts for alcohol will be expected to display a reminder about responsible drinking.

Ofcom, the communications watchdog, is to review existing codes on alcohol advertising amid concern that many are breaching “the spirit, if not the letter” of the television advertising code.

Research found growing concern that some adverts condoned excessive drinking, linked alcohol with sexual success and covertly targeted under-18s despite guidelines that forbid such an approach.

Pubs and clubs will be encouraged to make available free water and cheaper soft drinks as well as providing transport home and marshals to prevent disorder at closing time. A further consultation is to take place in an attempt to reach agreement on producing glasses and bottles with non-breakable glass or plastic.

Police and local councils are to be urged to make greater use of exclusion orders to ban troublemakers from pubs and clubs and even town centres.

The industry at both national and local level is to be asked to pay voluntarily into a fund that will pay for alcohol-abuse initiatives and provide alternative facilities for young people.

“Participation in these schemes will be voluntary. The success of the voluntary approach will be reviewed early in the next parliament. If industry actions are not beginning to make an impact in reducing harms, Government will assess the case for additional steps, including possibly legislation,” the strategy paper stated.

Asked why so many initiatives in the new programme would be voluntary on alcohol manufacturers and retailers rather than enforced, a Cabinet Office official said: “A voluntary approach is quicker. To go through the statute book would have taken a bit of time to have something up and running.”

PRICE OF DRINK

• 1.2 million violent incidents linked to alcohol
• 360,000 domestic violence incidents linked to alcohol
• £95 million spent annually on specialist alcohol treatment
• 30,000 hospital admissions for “alcohol dependence syndrome”
• 22,000 premature deaths linked to alcohol
• 70 per cent of A&E admissions linked to drink
• 17 million working days a year lost through alcohol
• Drinks market valued at £30 billion a year
• 130 prosecutions in 2000 for selling to under 18s. Fifty-six found guilty
• 24 prosecutions for under-age purchase of alcohol. Twenty-two found guilty

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