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Impact of a strength-based alcohol tax system on consumption and health outcomes in England - P4H Network

Impact of a strength-based alcohol tax system on consumption and health outcomes in England

A study ‘Estimating the effect of transitioning to a strength-based alcohol tax system on alcohol consumption and health outcomes: a modelling study of tax reform in England’ published in The Lancet Public Health evaluates the implications of the UK’s recent alcohol tax reforms, which tax all alcoholic beverages according to their ethanol content. By employing the Sheffield Tobacco and Alcohol Policy Model, researchers examined how these changes could affect alcohol consumption, health outcomes, and economic factors over a two-decade period. The study suggests that while the reforms may lead to a minimal reduction in alcohol consumption and prevent some health issues, they are unlikely to result in substantial public health improvements without more significant tax increases on lower-taxed beverages like beer and cider. The authors call for more targeted tax policies to effectively combat alcohol-related harm and reduce health disparities.

Reference
Damon Morris, Colin Angus, Duncan Gillespie, Abigail K Stevely, Robert Pryce, Luke Wilson, Madeleine Henney, Prof Petra S Meier, Prof John Holmes, Prof Alan Brennan, Estimating the effect of transitioning to a strength-based alcohol tax system on alcohol consumption and health outcomes: a modelling study of tax reform in England, The Lancet Public Health, 16 Sep 2024