Official figures have revealed that adults in Scotland are consuming 23% more alcohol than the adults in England and Wales. The report found that the percentage represented the biggest difference recorded during the 17 years of measuring the gap.
Of all the beverages, wine accounted for the largest rise in consumption, with sales more than doubling since the mid 1990s. Next to it stands the alcopops and ready mixed drinks. While the sale of beer, cider and fortified wine had fallen and the spirit sales had remained constant.
The researchers also found that 22.8 units of alcohol is being consumed per week by each adult in Scotland, instead of 21 units of alcohol recommended for men per week. The impact of this excessive consumption of alcohol results in an estimated cost of 3.56 pounds each year which makes it 900 pounds for every adult.
The NHS Health Scotland has already taken some steps to prevent the problems caused due to excessive alcohol consumption. They have also created a frame work that outlines a package of 40 measures to reduce alcohol related harm. As a part of its monitoring and evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol strategy, NHS also produced an update of alcohol sales and price band analysis.
Increase in the cost of living and the relative cost of alcohol being higher are not showing any affects on the alcohol consumption. Instead, the rate is increasing and the sales and consumption remain higher in Scotland than in England and Wales.
Hence the authorities decided to prevent this problem using tax and duty and to improve alcohol education to better tackle the cultural and social reasons for higher consumption in Scotland.