Table 3.
Baseline patterns of consumption and spending on alcohol in England for drinkers aged 16 or more
| Variables | Drinker subgroups | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate, excluding abstainers* | Hazardous† | Harmful‡ | All drinkers average | |
| Population in England§ (millions) | 25.5 | 7.2 | 2.2 | 34.9 |
| Self reported alcohol consumption¶ | ||||
| Mean weekly consumption (total No of units)** | 5.5 | 27.2 | 71.4 | 14.1 |
| Category of alcohol (%): | ||||
| Beer | 39 | 38 | 44 | 40 |
| Cider | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Wine | 42 | 46 | 34 | 41 |
| Spirit | 15 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| Ready to drink | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Self reported alcohol expenditure†† | ||||
| Mean spend per annum (£): | ||||
| Total | 275 | 1143 | 2771 | 612 |
| Off-trade‡‡ | 85 | 469 | 1189 | 234 |
| On-trade§§ | 191 | 673 | 1582 | 378 |
| Mean price paid (pence/unit): | ||||
| Off-trade | 54.4 | 51.3 | 48.1 | 51.0 |
| On-trade | 148.1 | 133.6 | 126.6 | 136.5 |
| % of units purchased below various threshold prices/unit: | ||||
| Duty+VAT¶¶ | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
| 40p per unit*** | 6.8 | 10.3 | 15.3 | 11.9 |
| 45p per unit*** | 12.5 | 19.5 | 30.5 | 23.2 |
| 50p per unit*** | 19.5 | 30.5 | 43.6 | 34.4 |
£1.00 (€1.26; $1.63); 2014 rates.
VAT=value added tax.
*Adult drinkers (≥16) with a mean weekly consumption ≤21 units for males and ≤14 units for females.
†Mean weekly consumption >21 units for males and >14 units for females but ≤50 units for males and ≤35 units for females.
‡Mean weekly consumption >50 units for males and >35 units for females.
§From Office for National Statistics mid-2010 population estimates for England (ages 16-89 inclusive), combined with proportions from general lifestyle survey 2009.
¶From general lifestyle survey 2009.
**1 unit=10 mL by volume of ethanol.
††From living cost and food survey 2001-02 to 2009, inflated to 2013 prices with off-trade interpolated over AC Nielsen price distribution.
‡‡Off-beverages are those purchased in off-trade outlets (for example, supermarkets and other shops).
§§On-beverages are those purchased in on-trade outlets (for example, pubs, clubs, bars, and restaurants).
¶¶Estimated in pence per unit of alcohol: 22.9, 9.4, 24.5, 33.9, and 33.9 for beer, cider, wine, spirits, and ready to drinks, respectively in 2013 prices. Details of assumptions are in table 1 of the addendum of the published report.16
***Minimum unit price thresholds in 2014-15 prices. Details of assumptions can be found in table 2.1 of the published report.13