Scot’s share of UK’s £27.4bn spend on alcohol likely to be significant. It’s time to cut back.

Across the UK, Brits blew £27.4bn on drinking at home in 2024, almost equalling the record amount we spent during the Covid lockdown of 2022. With the social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm estimated to be £5-10 billion annually in Scotland alone, Sinclair Method UK’s MD, Harvey Bhandal asks, can we afford to spend near-record sums on alcohol, both financially and for our health?

The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) consumer trends report reveals that Brits across the UK spent £27.4bn on buying alcoholic drinks for consumption at home last year. That beat 2023’s £24.1bn and was within a dram of 2022’s biggest-ever spend of £27.47bn. That record was set during a period of lockdowns when we were banned from visiting pubs and restaurants.

Recent figures show alcohol purchased for consumption at home (off-trade sales) accounts for the majority of alcohol sold in Scotland; in 2021, 85% of all pure alcohol sold was through off-trade premises like supermarkets and off-licences. The social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm is estimated to be £5-10 billion in Scotland alone.

The latest ONS figures also reveal UK shoppers spent a record-breaking £13.1bn on wine and cider for drinking at home last year, topping not only 2023’s previous record of £12.6bn but also 2022’s £11.8bn. Additionally, spirit drinkers spent £7.7bn on drinks such as whisky and gin, while beer lovers swigged £6.5bn-worth.

Harvey Bhandal is the Managing Director of Sinclair Method UK, specialists in medically supervised alcohol reduction. He says: ‘The occasional drink at home can be useful to unwind from the stresses of work and modern life. However, the record amount we spent on alcohol for home consumption last year could point to the fact that too many of us drink far more than the recommended levels. We could be creating health problems for ourselves in the future.

‘Of course, some recent research shows that red wine, in particular, has certain health benefits when consumed in moderation. Red wine polyphenols may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and may have a positive impact on individual human organs. However, the fact that UK adults spent a record £13.1bn on wine and cider to drink at home could indicate that thousands of us are drinking more than a moderate amount.

‘The social and economic cost of alcohol-related harm is estimated to be £5-10 billion annually here in Scotland alone. So these figures must also make us question whether we can afford to go on drinking as much as we have been doing in recent years. However, some of us find it very hard to cut back on our drinking. Fortunately, there are simple, proven treatments that can help prevent alcohol misuse and aid us all in reducing our drinking to a moderate level. One method of reducing alcohol consumption using a pill, supported by online coaching and counselling, which has an 80% success rate in curbing problem drinking. This decades-old treatment method – known as The Sinclair Method (TSM) – continues to fly under the radar, yet it could help slash £4.9bn from the NHS budget and reduce some of that £27.4bn record spend on alcohol.’

‘Sinclair Method UK’s treatment includes one-to-one guidance with a private GP. Patients are allocated a personal coach for 3-6 months alongside the medication pathway. The treatment may include consultation by phone or video calls, plus a prescription for the relevant tablets. All treatment is private and 100% confidential. For full details of Sinclair Method UK’s treatments: see: https://www.sinclairmethoduk.com/