Industry

Why we need a long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK

Alcohol harm is one of the biggest yet most overlooked public health challenges we face, with the impact felt not only in hospitals and clinics,...

Deregulating alcohol licensing: how the government’s proposals risk undermining public health and democracy

In April 2025, the UK government launched a ‘Licensing Taskforce’ to review the Licensing Act (2003). On the surface, the review promised to “modernise” the...

Making the case for regulating alcohol marketing in Scotland: A recent review of the evidence and next steps

Alcohol marketing is pervasive and persuasive, driving alcohol-related harm including among children and young people. Dr Peter Rice explains why regulations are needed.

Does Dry January change how we drink?

A new study finds that Dry January does show up in national alcohol sales data – people drink less and buy more no/lo options during...

Alcohol industry intimidation of researchers and advocates

The alcohol industry, like tobacco before it, uses intimidation to discredit and deter researchers and advocates who challenge its practices. Our latest blog highlights the...

Why England and Wales need a lower drink drive limit

What are the main arguments for and against reducing the drink drive limit in England and Wales?

The politics of inaction: why alcohol policy can’t wait

Jem Roberts argues that the government’s failure to include proven alcohol policies like minimum unit pricing in its 10-Year Health Plan is a political misstep...

Behaving irresponsibly: separating UK alcohol industry claims from reality

In our latest blog, Emma Thompson explains the findings of her IAS/SHAAP-funded study that looked at alcohol industry misinformation from 2024.

Why are we still not telling the public the truth about alcohol and cancer?

Alcohol causes 7 types of cancer, yet public awareness remains dangerously low, partly due to industry-led misinformation. For Cancer Prevention Action Week 2025, the World...

Zero-alcohol drinks make teens think of alcohol – so why are we treating them like soft drinks?

Zero-alcohol drinks are growing in popularity, marketed as a healthy alternative - but do they prompt teens to think of alcohol? New research shows adolescents...

France’s drinking dilemma: Why young adults buck the global trend

Unlike many Western countries where youth drinking is declining, alcohol use among young adults in France has remained stable over the past two decades. Dr...

Rainbow-washing or genuine allyship? How alcohol companies target the LGBTQ+ community

Alcohol companies market heavily to LGBTQ+ communities, portraying themselves as allies while profiting from higher alcohol consumption rates among these groups. This blog critiques their...

‘Dark Apps’ uncovered: popular alcohol tracking apps backed by the alcohol industry mislead users

Apps to reduce drinking that are provided by alcohol industry-funded charities have been found to contain misinformation and may even increase drinking. Dr Roy-Highley and...

Alcohol’s contribution to climate change

Dr Megan Cook and Professor Sarah MacLean explain how little information exists about alcohol and sustainability, why this is an important area, and why public...

Following the science on public health partnerships: the alcohol industry is no ordinary stakeholder

A recent study looked at how the Portman Group, Drinkaware, and Public Health England interacted during a health campaign and how this allowed the industry...

Alcohol trade groups mislead Prime Minister on duty ‘increase’, putting revenue – and lives – at risk

Alcohol trade groups have repeatedly claimed that the increase in duty rates in August 2023 led to the Treasury losing millions in revenue. However, this...

Alcohol’s hidden calories: a missed opportunity in obesity policy

Why is alcohol - despite the high calorie content - missing from obesity policy documents? Callum Young and Dr Benjamin Hawkins look at why policymakers...

Making the wine duty ‘easement’ permanent would negate the public health objective of the duty reform

What is the wine duty easement, why is the wine industry lobbying to make it permanent, and why would that be bad for public health?

Is Youth Drinking Decline a Global Phenomenon? We Need More Evidence Beyond the Global North

In many Western countries there has been a decline in youth alcohol consumption. Yet many countries in the Global South are experiencing the opposite trend....

Beyond Personal Harm: The Costs of Alcohol to Society

Alcohol harm has a significant cost to society in England, amounting to over £27 billion. But how is this split across society, why is it...