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<p> </p><p>The Department is committed to helping people live well for longer. The
Responsibility Deal pledge to remove one billion units of alcohol from the market
by the end of 2015 (a reduction of around 2%) has a role to play in supporting improvements
in reducing alcohol-related harms. In the first year of this four year pledge, 253
million units of alcohol were taken out of the market. A copy of the report showing
this analysis has already been placed in the Library.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Because
much alcohol-attributable harm occurs in middle or older age groups as a result of
years of drinking above the lower-risk guidelines, even a relatively small reduction
is likely to have a significant impact upon long-term and chronic illnesses.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Improving consumer awareness can help people make informed
choices about when and how much they drink. For advice on alcohol consumption to be
meaningful, people need to be able to put it into the context of their own drinking
habits. To increase awareness and understanding of alcohol units, the lower-risk drinking
guidelines and the Chief Medical Officer’s advice on drinking during pregnancy, 92
companies committed to displaying this information on 80% of bottles and cans by the
end of 2013.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>An independent market survey has been carried
out which we expect to be published shortly. Subject to publication of the final report:</p><p>
</p><p>- On a market share based on the total numbers of bottles and cans (ie a distinct
item), 79.3% of bottles and cans have this information.</p><p> </p><p>- On a market
share based on alcohol by volume, 69.9% of bottles and cans have this information.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p>In addition to unit and health information on bottles and cans, pub
chains and retailers committed to providing unit and health information. This year,
Ipsos Mori carried out an independent survey of whether the public saw such information.
27% of the public said they saw a British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) or Wine
and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) unit awareness image; 41% of 18-24 year-olds
recalled seeing at least one image; 27% saw something similar and 52% of those also
saw BBPA or WSTA materials.</p>
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