Trends in alcohol expenditure among risky drinkers: a population study in England, 2014–2023

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to estimate time trends in alcohol expenditure among risky drinkers in England over the past decade, to understand whether these trends are driven by changes in prices paid or volumes purchased, and to explore differences between population subgroups.

METHODS: Nationally-representative monthly cross-sectional survey. Participants were 44,382 adults (≥18y) drinking at risky levels (AUDIT-C ≥ 5; 'risky drinkers'). Linear regression modelled trends between March-2014 and October-2023 in (i) mean weekly inflation-adjusted expenditure on alcohol, (ii) mean weekly alcohol consumption in units, and (iii) mean inflation-adjusted expenditure per unit of alcohol, overall and by age, gender, social grade, region, and smoking status.

RESULTS: There was an uncertain decrease in mean weekly expenditure from £18.90 [95 %CI=£18.30-£19.50] in March-2014 to £17.90 [£17.60-£18.30] in May-2016, then an uncertain increase to £18.60 [£18.30-£18.90] between May-2016 and June-2018. This was followed by a further decline to £16.90 [£16.60-£17.30] by April-2021 and subsequent rise to £18.60 [£17.90-£19.40] by October-2023. Changes in weekly alcohol expenditure were more closely mirrored by changes in mean expenditure per unit of alcohol than by changes in mean weekly alcohol consumption in units. Notable subgroup differences included sharp rises in weekly alcohol expenditure since 2021 among younger ages (driven by a rise in expenditure per unit of alcohol) and current smokers (driven by a rise in weekly units of alcohol consumed).

CONCLUSIONS: In England, the average amount adult risky drinkers reported spending on alcohol each week has fluctuated since 2014, with a notable decrease around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and a subsequent rise since restrictions were lifted and since the cost-of-living crisis has led to high rates of inflation. Except for current smokers, this pattern appears to have been driven predominantly by changes in the price paid per unit rather than changes in consumption.