Pubs to be forced to offer wine in small glasses

Pubs that serve wine and spirits would be legally bound to offer smaller serves under new plans expected to be announced this Autumn.

It follows a campaign led by Greg Mulholland MP, who in introduced a Private Member's Bill in January that requires all pubs to offer a 125ml measure of wine as well as the larger 175ml and 250ml sizes.

Mulholland has written to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to welcome the news.

The MP for Leeds North West said: "I am delighted that the Government has shown sense, and backed the proposals that I outlined in my Bill.

"In the last few years there has been a clear move to 'trade up' wine glass measures and phase out smaller glass sizes, the result being that often drinkers do not know how many units of alcohol they are consuming.

"Requiring pubs and bars to sell smaller wine glasses, as well as the larger sizes, would increase consumer choice at the same time as being a simple and effective method of increasing alcohol awareness and encouraging responsible drinking, and I am very pleased that the Government has recognised this."

Raft of proposals​

A Department of Health spokesman said: "The Government is considering a raft of measures to stem the tide of increasing alcohol-fuelled hospital admissions.

"More and more people are being admitted to hospital with serous illnesses - such as liver cirrhosis, cancer etc - and it's becoming increasing evident that the drinks industry is not doing its bit to help people to drink sensibly.

"One idea is to force pubs and bars to offer smaller spirit measures and smaller glasses of wine in a bid to stop people drinking themselves into an early grave.

"Being asked what size glass you want may seem a waste of time for the hordes of people who go out on a Friday and Saturday night with the sole purpose of getting drunk. But it will help many people who don't know how much they're drinking or the damage they are doing to themselves."

However, a CGA survey of 5,500 pubs and clubs showed fewer than one in four (23.5%) serve the 250ml measure and 30% still serve wine in 125ml glasses. Almost two thirds offer wine in 175ml glasses.

A separate study by Which? found a number of major managed operators have chosen not to offer wine in 125ml servings.

Irrelevant​

British Beer & Pub Association director of communications Mark Hastings said forcing pubs to offer smaller measures would have "little or no impact on the quantity they drink, but would have an impact on their enjoyment".

This is because buying in 125ml serves encourages people to re-order quickly - meaning they purchase 250ml - rather than "linger" with a 175ml glass.

He also pointed out that 20 to 30% of wine bought in pubs is by the bottle, "which makes the size of glass irrelevant".