This may lead to feelings of disappointment among those who are halfway through their dry January challenge, eagerly anticipating the taste of a sauvignon blanc in two weeks.
Researchers at Cambridge University have discovered that removing the largest option for wine servings from bar menus could have a positive impact on the overall health of the country without negatively affecting the profits of pubs.
A study discovered that eliminating the biggest serving size, typically 250ml, from being sold results in a decrease of approximately 8% in wine profits – though not without receiving some complaints from customers.
According to the study, individuals can be influenced to consume less alcohol, leading to potential health benefits. Additionally, the research showed no indication that individuals would compensate by purchasing more beer or cider.
A study published in Plos Medicine discovered that eliminating oversized wine glasses resulted in an average decrease of just under 8% in wine sales at pubs and bars.
After considering variables like day of the week and overall revenue, removing large glasses resulted in an average daily decrease of 420ml of wine sold per venue.
No evidence was found by researchers to indicate that the change had an impact on overall profits. This implies that pubs and bars should not be concerned about financial losses. The experts proposed that this could be attributed to the greater profit margins of smaller wine servings.
Managers from four out of the 21 locations included in the research stated that they received complaints from customers.
According to Dr. Eleni Mantzari, the primary researcher from the University of Cambridge, it appears that individuals tend to choose smaller wine options when the largest serving size by the glass is not available, but do not consume the same amount of wine as they would with the larger option.
Individuals have a tendency to consume a set amount of units, such as glasses in this case, regardless of the size of the portion.
Therefore, an individual may choose to initially restrict themselves to consuming only a few glasses of wine. By reducing the amount of alcohol in each glass, they ultimately consume less alcohol overall.
Excessive alcohol consumption ranks as the fifth leading cause of early death and illness globally, according to statistics.
In 2016, it was estimated by the World Health Organization that 3 million deaths were caused by the damaging consumption of alcohol globally.
The researchers from Cambridge University conducted a research in 21 establishments with liquor licenses (mostly pubs) in various cities in England, such as London, Cambridgeshire, Southampton, Gloucester, Brighton and Hove. The goal was to determine if removing the largest serving size of wine by the glass for four weeks would affect the amount of wine consumed.
Unfortunately, the researchers were not able to evaluate the sales of any other types of alcoholic beverages besides wine, beer, and cider. These other drinks are believed to make up roughly 30% of the total alcohol sales at the establishments involved in the study.
Experts suggest that pub and bar managers may be willing to remove the largest serving glass, but the alcohol industry might oppose this idea since there is no proof that it would lead to a decrease in profits.
According to them, the success of implementing this policy would rely on both its efficacy and the clarity of its communication.
Source: theguardian.com
