Colin Angus Journalist Profile

Articles

New alcohol mortality data presents a bleak picture for England

Dec 16, 2024 | ias.org.uk | Colin Angus

New figures, published by the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) as part of their Local Alcohol Profiles for England, show that England set another unwanted record in 2023, with the highest number of alcohol-specific deaths on record. 8,274 people died in 2023 from causes that are wholly attributable to alcohol, an increase of 4.6% from 2022 and 42.2% since 2019.
Do engagement and behavioural mechanisms underpin the effectiveness of the Drink Less app? - npj Digital Medicine

Jun 28, 2024 | nature.com | Claire Garnett |Colin Angus |Susan Michie |Marcus Munafò

AbstractThis is a process evaluation of a large UK-based randomised controlled trial (RCT) (n = 5602) evaluating the effectiveness of recommending an alcohol reduction app, Drink Less, compared with usual digital care in reducing alcohol consumption in increasing and higher risk drinkers. The aim was to understand whether participants’ engagement (‘self-reported adherence’) and behavioural characteristics were mechanisms of action underpinning the effectiveness of Drink Less.
Will increasing Scotland’s Minimum Unit Pricing ‘punish’ those on low incomes?

Mar 22, 2024 | ias.org.uk | Colin Angus

Before Scotland’s 50p Minimum Unit Price (MUP) for alcohol came into force in May 2018, one of the leading arguments against the policy was that it would be ‘a tax on the poor’ because it specifically targeted the price of the cheapest alcohol. With the Scottish Government’s announcement of their intention to increase the MUP from 50p to 65p per unit of alcohol, this argument has come back to the fore.
Are consumers paying a premium for no- and low-alcohol drinks?

Jan 30, 2024 | addiction-ssa.org | Colin Angus

New research suggests that no- and low-alcohol drinks tend to be more expensive than standard alcoholic beverages. Colin Angus from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group examines some of the potential explanations for this ‘no/lo price premium’. The last few years have seen a significant change in how no- and low-alcohol drinks are viewed in the UK, from largely being a curiosity a decade ago to being a standard piece of the wider landscape of alcoholic products.
The unacceptability of evidence on acceptable risks

Nov 13, 2023 | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | John Holmes |Colin Angus

The new Canadian drinking guidelines offer important steps forward in considering the extent of life lost to alcohol and recognizing that risks from alcohol increase continuously with rising consumption. However, the continued reliance upon questionable evidence to underpin decisions on the acceptability of alcohol-related risks needs addressing by future studies.
Where next for Minimum Unit Pricing in Scotland?

Oct 10, 2023 | ias.org.uk | Colin Angus

5 years on from the introduction of Scotland’s pioneering Minimum Unit Pricing policy (MUP), which made it illegal to sell a unit of alcohol for less than 50p, Public Health Scotland published the results of a comprehensive evaluation.
The Property Chronicle - Real estate, alternative real assets and other diversions

Jul 17, 2023 | propertychronicle.com | Colin Angus

The cost of living crisis has seen the prices of many goods and services rise sharply in the past 18 months, but food and drink prices have been particularly hard hit. Some food producers have responded by reducing the size of their products, while keeping prices the same – a phenomenon known as “shrinkflation”.
Drinkflation: Why your pint of beer is getting weaker

Jul 11, 2023 | readersdigest.co.uk | Colin Angus

Shrinkflation has hit the beer industry, as brewers cope with the cost of living crisis by cutting alcohol strength—but are drinkers being shortchanged? The cost of living crisis has seen the prices of many goods and services rise sharply in the past 18 months, but food and drink prices have been particularly hard hit. Some food producers have responded by reducing the size of their products, while keeping prices the same—a phenomenon known as “shrinkflation”.
How ‘drinkflation’ affects the price of your pint

Jul 10, 2023 | financialaccountant.co.uk | Colin Angus

Taxes have long played a part in the cost of a pint and in its alcohol content. But Colin Angus at the University of Sheffield says the current round of alcohol reductions from major breweries is not only in the commercial interests of the brewers – it also aligns with consumer demand.
How ‘drinkflation’ affects the price of your pint

Jul 7, 2023 | deeside.com | Colin Angus

By Colin Angus, University of Sheffield ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌The cost of living crisis has seen the prices of many goods and services rise sharply in the past 18 months, but food and drink prices have been particularly hard hit. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌Some food producers have responded by reducing the size of their products, while keeping prices the same – a phenomenon known as “shrinkflation”.