As the leading charity that engages with the public to prevent and reduce the misuse of alcohol, Drinkaware has seen a significant spike in public interest in information on alcohol, particularly regarding minimum unit pricing (MUP ) that went ‘live’ on January 4.
New statistics released by Drinkaware show that between January 1 and January 6, Drinkaware’s MUP explainer page attracted almost 18,000 (17,926 ) page views, making it one of its most sought-after resources over the holiday period.
"Interestingly, consumers also spent longer than normal digesting the information available, with the average time spent on the MUP page clocking in at an unprecedented six minutes 55 seconds, highlighting public appetite to understand the changes afoot," it said in a statement.
"In the lead up to the new legislation in the month of December, Drinkaware’s MUP explainer on its social channels reached 620,441 people and received nearly 8,000 website views, revealing how MUP clearly struck a chord with Irish consumers and continues to do so."
Drinkaware CEO Sheena Horgan said: "Covid has shifted drinking behaviour significantly, for many this means drinking more and for others drinking less. But the pandemic has also pivoted attitudes from being complacent about risky drinking, to actively wanting to know and understand consumption better.
"The 47,000 visits to our website in December alone, and the fact that people spent nearly seven minutes on the MUP page, clearly indicates this genuine interest in accessing easy-to-understand information on alcohol."
Drinkaware said it welcomed MUP "as one important element of the suite of measures in the Public Health Alcohol Act, that will support the prevention and reduction of alcohol-related harm".
However, the charity contends that "legislation alone cannot deliver the sustainable change with regard to alcohol that Ireland needs, and the public clearly wants.
"Drinkaware is therefore calling for broader and more inclusive education, and awareness, engagement and information programmes in 2022, as also being essential to the creation of a different relationship and narrative on alcohol," it said.
"As part of this, Drinkaware advocates for greater emphasis on helping the public understand what constitutes risky and harmful drinking, and critically, the HSE low-risk weekly guidelines."
