Modelling the effects of alcohol pricing policies on alcohol consumption in subpopulations in Australia

AIMS

To model the effects of a range of alcohol pricing policies on alcohol consumption in subpopulation groups (e.g. alcohol consumption pattern, and age and income groups) in Australia.

DESIGN

We used estimated price elasticities to model the effects of proposed pricing policies on consumption for 11 beverage categories among subpopulation groups.

SETTING

Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1789 adults (16+ years) who reported they purchased and consumed alcohol in the 2013 Australian International Alcohol Control Study, an adult population survey.

MEASUREMENTS

Mean and percentage changes in alcohol consumption were estimated for each scenario across subgroups. The policy scenarios evaluated included: (1) increasing the excise rate 10% for all off-premise beverages; (2) replacing the wine equalization tax with a volumetric excise rate equal to the current spirits tax rate; (3) applying a uniform excise tax rate to all beverages equal to the current sprits tax rate and a 10 or 20% increase in it; and(4) introducing a minimum unit price (MUP) on all beverages categories at $1.00, 1.30 or 1.50.

FINDINGS

The effects of different tax and MUP policies varied greatly across different subgroups. The effects of the MUP policy on alcohol consumption increased rapidly in the range from $1.00 to $1.50. Applying a uniform tax rate across all beverages equal to current spirits tax rate, or a 10 or 20% increase beyond that, could generate large reductions in overall alcohol consumption in Australia. Compared with the uniform tax rate with or without further tax increase, introducing a MUP at $1.30 or $1.50 could reduce consumption particularly among harmful drinkers and lower-income drinkers, with comparatively smaller impacts on moderate and higher-income drinkers.

CONCLUSIONS

Both uniform excise tax and minimum unit price policies are predicted to reduce alcohol consumption in Australia. Minimum unit price policies are predicted to have a greater impact on drinking among harmful drinkers than moderate drinkers.

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Zusammenfassung. Alkoholkonsum ist in der Schweiz weit verbreitet; nur ein geringer Teil der Bevölkerung lebt abstinent, rund 250 000 Personen sind alkoholabhängig. Der gesundheitliche und wirtschaftliche Schaden durch Alkohol ist signifikant. Gleichzeitig stellen Erkennung und Behandlung alkoholbedingter Störungen eine grosse Herausforderung für die Grundversorger dar. Das ärztliche Gespräch bleibt dabei wichtigstes diagnostisches und therapeutisches Instrument, Laborwerte und Fragebögen können eine ergänzende Rolle spielen. In der sich traditionell in akut und postakut untergliedernden Behandlung stellt die wichtigste Neuerung der vergangenen Jahre die Anerkennung der Trinkmengenreduktion als zumindest intermediäres Behandlungsziel dar. In Prävention und Erkennung alkoholbezogener Störungen kommt den Grundversorgern eine Schlüsselrolle zu, weshalb die Kenntnis möglicher Interventionsmöglichkeiten essentiell ist.