Wine & spirits getting stronger

A report by the Department of Health shows that wine and spirits are getting stronger and this is affecting the government's efforts to get the drinks industry to remove 1bn units of alcohol from high street stores by the end of 2015.

The average volume of alcohol in drinks edged up from 7.25% to 7.31% between 2011 and 2012 - the first full year of the 1bn pledge. Initially there seemed to be good news with 253m units of alcohol removed through the introduction of lower-alcohol products and the reformulation of existing drinks. But this was mostly related to beer, cider and alcopops, while the strength of wine and spirits increased. This meant the average volume of alcohol in drinks consumed rose.

It says the average ABV of wine rose by 0.01 percentage points which equates to 15m more units of wine on sale between 2011 and 2012 despite the industry's efforts to offer lower-strength wines.

It was one of an overarching series of pledges that major drinks companies and retailers have signed up to under the terms of the four-year voluntary deal intended to foster a culture of responsible drinking, which will help people to drink within guidelines.

Trade magazine the Grocer reports that the data includes Sainsbury's selling 17.5% more lighter-alcohol wine in the period, Diageo cutting by 0.55% the ABV of the UK's biggest-selling wine, Blossom Hill, and Tesco launching more than 10 new light wines.

A spokeswoman said Sainsbury's was committed to doubling its sales of lighter alcohol wine and a reduction of average alcohol content in its own-label wine and beer.

Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, said the commitment to removing 1bn units of alcohol from the market was a groundbreaking pledge, which is hugely ambitious, and the interim monitoring shows the industry is on track to meet this target.