Report published: "How much are people in Scotland really drinking?"

The report "How much are people in Scotland really drinking? A review of data from Scotland's routine national surveys" has been published today by the Scottish Public Health Observatory.

The report assesses the extent to which Scotland's routine national surveys reflect true drinking behaviour. Comparing survey estimates with sales data, it shows that survey underestimation of alcohol consumption has increased (due to larger and stronger drinks) and suggests that people in Scotland may be drinking twice as much as surveys have previously reported. The report concludes with recommendations for the improvement of Scottish survey data on alcohol consumption so that they provide a more accurate picture of Scottish drinking. The report can be accessed here.