Fancy a quick two-thirds? It may not attract the more famous after work social, but abandoning the British pint for a smaller measure can boost the country’s health, say researchers.
Scientists came to the conclusion after a trial in a dozen pubs, bars and restaurants in England during which pints were scrapped and two-thirds of a pint became the largest cask beer available.
The experiment, which met with some resistance, resulted in the amount of beer sold falling by almost 10%. Although modest, the drop could reduce the impact of alcohol-related harm, which claims thousands of lives in Britain each year, the team believes.
“This is the first real study to look at this,” said Prof Dame Theresa Marteau, study leader and director of the Behavioral and Health Research Unit at the University of Cambridge. “Does it have the potential to contribute to population health? I would definitely say, yes.”
Alcohol increases the risk of more than 60 health conditions from liver cirrhosis to cancer, and with related accidents, causes millions of deaths worldwide. More than a fifth of adults in England drink more than 14 units a week, putting them at greater risk of harm.
The Cambridge trial tested the idea that people often think in portions rather than portion sizes, going for one beer, one cup of tea, one piece of cake, rather than specific numbers of milliliters or grams. In a similar trial in January, wine sales fell when the largest glass size, typically 250ml, was scrapped.
To see if the trick works for beer, the researchers invited more than 1,700 bars, pubs and restaurants to join the trial. The response was overwhelmingly unenthusiastic: despite compensation for lost income, only 13 agreed.
The trial unfolded over three months last year. In the first and last month, pints were served as normal. In the middle of the month, pints were scrapped, with customers told that the biggest beer on tap was two-thirds of a pint.
After crunching the numbers from 12 establishments – one was excluded – it was found that the smaller portions reduced the volume of beer sold by 9.7%. Although wine sales were up, the amount of alcohol consumed overall was still down. Earnings fell 5%, the authors report Drop medicine.
Neither company has permanently scrapped the pint. Besides the loss of income, there is an inertia to overcome. Introduced in 1698, the British pint is a cultural foundation. But at 568ml, it’s one of the largest general servings of beer in the world. Germans prefer 500 ml, an American pint is 473 ml, the Australian schooner, 425 ml.
Matt Beety, owner of the Bear on Abbeydale Road in Sheffield, who took part in the hearing, said the rise of craft beer pubs was already shifting mentality away from the pint. A few punters asked why they weren’t allowed to get pints, he said, but most went along with it. Drinkers who usually came for a couple when Sheffield United played tended to stick to two rather than return to the bar for a third, he added.
South London drinkers were more intrigued than convinced. By the fox on the hillA Wetherspoon’s in Denmark Hill, Patrick (35) and Ryan (29) enjoyed a pint in the sun.
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“I was just in Turkey on an all-inclusive and the drinks at the hotel were so big,” says Ryan, with a gesture that indicates very small. “You end up just ordering more.”
“It depends where you’re going with it,” says Patrick. “If you’re having a quick drink, it probably doesn’t matter. You can eventually nurse it more. But if you want to get drunk? Well, it might take six instead of four.”
Rosalie and Ella, both 21, were unanimously present the Crown and Greyhound in Dulwich. “Realistically speaking, we would still drink the same amount,” said Rosalie. “I was in Australia drinking schooners and it certainly didn’t slow me down,” added Ella. “I would consider two thirds to be halves. I will definitely finish.”
Marteau said there is no magic bullet to reduce alcohol-related disease. “When we think about tackling alcohol, we often think about affordability and advertising. We highlight an additional intervention that can be considered for alcohol control policies,” she said.
