GLOBAL
News: global Europeans continue to consume more alcohol than any others
SWA calls for end to damaging trade war as 25% tariff to US comes into force The SWA is calling for support from the UK government following the imposition of a 25% tariff on US imports of single malt Scotch whisky and liqueurs. Commenting on the need to implement the strategies we know are effective, such as increasing prices, limiting availability and banning advertising. With as many as 800 people dying every day in parts of the Region due to alcohol-attributable harm, we must do more to continue the ght,’ A WHO status report on alcohol con- sumption, harm and policy responses in 30 European countries 2019, which uses data gathered from 2010 to 2016, shows that over 290,000 people lose their life in Europe per year from alcohol-attributable causes, and urges stronger policy action by countries to help reduce the numbers. Reductions in alcohol consumption have stalled: On average, adults (aged 15 years and over) in European Union countries plus Norway and Switzerland (EU+) drink the equivalent of more than 2 bottles of wine per week. But when the life-time abstain- ers and former drinkers are removed from the data sample, it reveals that adults drink more than three bottles of wine a week – a level of consumption which leads to seri- ous health consequences. Heavy episodic drinking is also a problem. Across the population, 30.4% of people report having consumed more than 60g of pure alcohol on a single occa- sion in the last 30 days – this is equivalent to more than ve drinks on one occasion. This harmful pattern of drinking is par- ticularly an issue among men (47.4%), as compared to women (14.4%) and is most prevalent in the Baltic countries, Czechia and Luxembourg. Alcohol consumption has decreased in many European countries, but pro- gress is grinding to a halt. Policy-makers
said Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe.
on US imports of single malt Scotch whisky and liqueurs. This is very bad news for our industry. It means that Scotch whisky is now paying for over 60% of the UK’s tariff bill for the subsidies it provided to Airbus, eight times more than the next most valuable UK product on the tariff list. That single malts are being targeted is particularly damaging for smaller producers, who stand to be the hardest hit. “Scotch whisky has been imported tariff-free to the United States for the last 25 years. This move undermines decades of hard work and investment which has seen Scotch whisky sales boom in the US. It will impact both our industry and its supply chain. “We estimate that 25% tariff on single understand that alcohol is a leading cause of working years of life lost and also of lost economic productivity and development. The impact of alcohol use var- ies depending on risk factors such as tobacco, diet and poverty, as well as on health-care systems, and it is very impor- tant to reduce inequities to alleviate the societal costs attributable to alcohol con- years of life were lost due to either premature mortality or disability. The level of alcohol-attributable deaths in adolescents and young adults has remained unacceptably high through- out Europe. The majority of those deaths are preventable, according to the report, which underscores that society must Alcohol-attributable deaths dispropor- tionately affect young people: Alcohol is a psychoactive substance which can diminish the physical and mental health of an individual. Of all alcohol-attribut- able deaths in the EU+ region, 76.4% are due to noncommunicable diseases, such as cancer, liver cirrhosis and cardiovascular disease, and 18.3% are caused by alcohol-attributable injuries, such as those resulting from road traf c accidents, suicides and homicides. These deaths are preventable and place a huge health burden on countries. While there has been an overall decrease in deaths, shockingly, the report reveals that across the EU+ region alcohol is still responsible for 5.5% of all deaths. In absolute numbers, 291,100 people died in 2016 due to alco- hol-attributable diseases, and 7.6 million
malt Scotch whisky will see exports to the US drop by as much as 20% in the next 12 months, as Scotch whisky will become less competitive in the US market. In time, consumer choice will diminish, and Scotch whisky companies will start to lose market share. In Scotland and throughout our UK supply chain, we expect to see a dropping-off in investment and productivity. Ultimately, jobs could be at risk. “We expect the damage to our indus- try to mirror the damage caused to exports of American whiskies to Europe since the EU imposed a 25% tariff in July 2018. That tariff has done nothing other than damage an industry very similar to, and closely linked Most effective policies not implemented: This report urges countries to further improve policy response, using the areas de ned in the European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 2012– 2020 to maintain and accelerate progress. The low implementation of market- ing and pricing policies is of particular concern, as these are proven to be among the most effective policy meas- ures. Countries were found to be most successful at implementing aware- ness-raising, drink–driving policies and surveillance policies, which are the easiest to implement and are perceived to face the least resistance. sumption. Across Europe, negative health outcomes disproportionately affect young adults. The report shows that one in every four deaths among young adults is caused by alcohol – especially due to injury. ‘When alcohol is one of the biggest killers of our young people, we can- not afford to be complacent. This is a product that is repeatedly marketed and made available to youth despite evi- dence that alcohol consumption has a detrimental effect on brain development and physical health. This is the next gen- eration of leaders and we must protect them. The plan only has one year left, so efforts need to be seriously stepped up,’ said Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, pro- gramme manager for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs, WHO Regional Of ce for Europe. ➤➤
implementation of a 25% tariff on single malt Scotch whisky, SWA Chief Executive Karen Betts said: “A 25% tariff has today been implemented
6 ● BREWER AND DISTILLER INTERNATIONAL I november 2019
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