Wider availability of non-alcoholic drinks may reduce liquor consumption: Study

A recent study shows that people are more likely to opt for non-alcoholic drinks if more of them are available than alcoholic drinks.

A team of researchers at the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre and the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge, UK found that when presented with eight drink options, participants were 48 per cent more likely to choose a non-alcoholic drink when the proportion of non-alcoholic drink options increased from four (50 per cent) to six (75 per cent).

Participants in the study completed an online task in which they were presented with a selection of alcoholic beer, non-alcoholic beer and soft drinks.

The drink selections included four alcoholic and four non-alcoholic drinks, six alcoholic and two non-alcoholic drinks or two alcoholic and six non-alcoholic drinks.

As many as 808 UK residents with an average age of 38 years, who regularly consumed alcohol, participated in the study.

When presented with mostly non-alcoholic drinks, 49 per cent of participants selected a non-alcoholic drink, compared to 26 per cent of participants who selected a non-alcoholic drink when presented with most alcoholic drinks.