A new campaign being launched today by drinkaware.ie is focusing its efforts on getting Irish drinkers to adopt a more moderate drinking style.
The main message being relayed in the new drinkaware.ie campaign – you can have an exclusive preview of the TV and radio ads here – is that Irish drinkers should slow things down when they’re having a few pints. This campaign is the second major phase of drinkaware.ie’s “Rethinking Our Drinking” initiative and it’s come just in time for the Easter weekend.
The Chief Executive of drinkaware.ie, Fionnuala Sheehan said, “While drinkaware.ie’s campaigns to date have sought to confront society generally, and young people in particular, this campaign has a particular focus on how we drink in Ireland.
“Based on the CSO’s March 2012 adult population figures, the average Irish adult consumed 11.6 litres of pure alcohol (lpa) in 2011, some 3% less than the recently published 11.97 lpa figure for 2010.
“There is still a need to address our style and pattern of drinking in Ireland. While we drink relatively infrequently compared to our European counterparts, we drink a relatively large amount on an occasion of drinking, and we drink at a faster pace.”
According to a Eurobarometer Survey published in 2010, 3% of Irish adult drinkers drink on a daily basis. This is compared with 43% of people in Portugal who have a daily tipple. Around 69% of EU alcohol consumers usually have 2 drinks or less on a drinking occasion. In contrast, research from Millward Browne Lansdowne (MLB) found that the average number of drinks consumed by Irish drinkers during their last session was 5.6 in the pub/club, and 4.2 at home.
So as you can see we don’t drink as often as our European neighbours, but when we do, we go on a bit of a binge and the message from Drink Awareis that that needs to change.
Ms Sheehan added, “Our new ‘Pacing’ campaign challenges our drinking style, encourages us to take control of our drinking, and motivates us to enjoy the benefits of a more moderate style of drinking.
“Today’s launch marks the start of a journey towards a more moderate drinking pace in Ireland. We are encouraged by the findings in MLB’s January 2012 research; 70% of respondents felt that 1-2 standard drinks per hour was a reasonable drinking pace.”
There’s loads more information for pacing yourself over at drinkaware.ie, so why not head on over for a gander, and again, the TV and radio ads, which debut on the national airwaves tomorrow (Wednesday), are worth a look.
