According to a recent study, decreasing the serving size of beer, lager, and cider can lead to lower consumption of these drinks in pubs, bars, and restaurants, making it a potential measure for controlling alcohol intake. The research, published on September 17th in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine, conducted by Theresa Marteau and her team at the University of Cambridge, UK, showed that venues that replaced pints with two-thirds pints sold 10% less beer by volume during a short intervention period.
According to a recent study, decreasing the serving size of beer, lager, and cider can lead to lower consumption of these drinks in pubs, bars, and restaurants, making it a potential measure for controlling alcohol intake. The research, published on September 17th in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine, conducted by Theresa Marteau and her team at the University of Cambridge, UK, showed that venues that replaced pints with two-thirds pints sold 10% less beer by volume during a short intervention period.
Previous research has indicated a decrease in sales when wine is served in smaller glasses, but there had been little investigation into the impact of serving sizes on other alcoholic beverages. Marteau and her colleagues reached out to establishments in England, asking them to eliminate the pint serving and instead provide two-thirds pints as the largest option for a duration of four weeks, using a four-week comparison period before and after the intervention.
The study found that the removal of pints led to a 9.7% drop in the daily average volume of beer, lager, and cider sold, although there was a slight rise in wine sales, with one pub accounting for half of that increase. The research noted that, despite no complaints from patrons, less than 1% of the venues invited to participate took part, resulting in only 12 establishments being included in the intervention.
Further research is necessary, particularly to determine if individuals compensated for reduced beer consumption by increasing intake of other alcoholic beverages. However, the intervention should be considered as part of alcohol control strategies. Offering smaller serving sizes could help reduce overall alcohol consumption in the population, thereby lowering the risk of several cancers and other health issues.
The authors conclude, “The removal of pints in 13 licensed establishments for four weeks led to a decrease in the volume of beer sold. This aligns with growing evidence that smaller serving sizes lead to reduced alcohol intake, presenting an innovative approach to decrease consumption and enhance public health.”
