Trade slams hazardous drink study
The British Beer and Pub Association has hit back at claims that one glass of wine or pint of beer for men, and even less for women, is hazardous drinking.
The North West Public Health Observatory stated that women drinking just 15 units a week risk their health and men drinking 22 units also enter the hazardous category.
Serious questions need to be asked about the credibility of any report that says that drinking a glass of wine a day should be classed as hazardous drinkingMark HastingsBBPA
The research, commissioned by the Department of Health, also found that people in affluent areas were more likely to drinking above "sensible levels" than those in poorer areas.
The Government is predicted to use the findings to target middle aged wine drinkers.
"I think that these highly inflammatory headlines need to be balanced with an appreciation of what we're dealing with," said BBPA director of communications Mark Hastings.
"Serious questions need to be asked about the credibility of any report that says that drinking a glass of wine a day should be classed as hazardous drinking."
He added: "We do, however, think it's very important that the debate has moved beyond the pub and the high street and into the homes of the middle classes.
"In total, 60% of all alcohol sales in the UK are consumed at home, only focusing on the on-trade is certainly a recipe for failure."
Last week the BBPA released figures showing that alcohol consumption fell 3.3% in 2006 - the largest decrease in 15 years.
That also followed a 2% drop in 2005, meaning people are drinking less since the introduction of flexible opening hours under the Licensing Act.
Its research showed that we now drink 8.9 litres per person per year, compared with 9.4 litres in 2004.
