Survey of alcohol sales from fuel outlets in Britain
| Date | 10 July 2009 |
| Published date | 10 July 2009 |
| Pages | 19-20 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17465729200900004 |
| Author | Jason Luty,Nasser El Hindy,Sujaa Rajagopal Arokiadass |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Many countries have banned sales of alcoholic drinks from retail motor fuel outlets (known as petrol
stations in the UK).This sur vey aims to deter mine what pr opor tion of retail fuel outlets also sell
alcoholic drinks in England and Wales.A cluster randomised telephone survey based on listings in a
national online telephone directory was used to collect the data. Contact was made with 779 out of
1,012 outlets (a 77% response rate) in 20 areas in Britain, of which 241 (31%) sold alcoholic drinks
as well as fuel.The findings from the survey reveal that the sale of alcohol at fuel outlets is common
and may encourage drink driving.
Survey of alcohol sales from
fuel outlets in Britain
Jason Luty
Consultant Psychiatrist
Southend Drug and
Alcohol Service
South Essex Partnership
Health NHSTrust
Nasser El Hindy
South Essex Partnership
NHSTrust
Sujaa Mary Rajagopal
Arokiadass
Specialist Registrar in
Forensic Psychiatry
Southend Drug and
Alcohol Service
South Essex Partnership
Health NHSTrust
Correspondence to:
Dr Jason Luty PhD
MRCPsych
Consultant Psychiatrist
Southend Drug and
Alcohol Service
South Essex Partnership
Health NHSTrust
TheTaylor Centre
Queensway House
Southend on Sea
Essex
SS1 2RB
RESEARCH
19
There h as be en co ncer n abo ut th e
dangers o f driving while in toxica ted
for many decades (Barbor et al, 2003).
More recen tly, France, Sco tland and
the Re publ ic of Irela nd ban ned t he
sale s of al coh olic d rin ks fr om ret ail f uel o utle ts
(Bre mne r, 2008 ; Roya l Col lege o f Phy sici ans o f
Ireland, 2008; Braiden, 2008). However, it remains
legal for motor fuel outlets (‘petrol stations’) to sell
alcoholicdrinks in England and Wales,although the
exte nt of t his p ract ice w as un know n. Th is ha s
follo wed a ten dency o ver rec ent years to exp and
reta il sal es at fu el out lets t o incl ude ma ny oth er
products inclu ding groceries (in competition wi th
the so -ca lle d ‘off l ice nce s’ tha t wer e pri mari ly
alcoho l sales outlets a nd often opened f or longer
hours than most British shops).
A consider able amoun t of researc h has shown
the statistica l relationship between alcoh ol outlet
density and problematic alcohol us e (Gruenewald,
2008). Although ‘availability theory’ suggests that
increased availability leads to increased alcohol use
(and problems), there are a variety of confoundin g
effects. For example, the presence of many a lcohol
outl ets i n an ar ea may b e an in cid enta l sig n of
disorg anisation or an i ndication of w here peo ple
congregate (Stockwell & Gruenewald, 2 004). The
widely recognised correlationbetween car accidents
and dr unk enn ess me ans t hat t here h as be en
particular concern abou t the relationship between
alcohol availability and drink driving (Gruenewald
et al, 19 96; Treno et a l, 2003 ). Although t here is
strong evidence to support the idea that alcohol use
is reduced by restrictionson pricing, availability and
marketing, policy-makers have been resistant to use
these mechanisms (Room, 2004).
The pr ima ry ob ject ive o f the p roje ct wa s to
estimatethe prevalence of alcohol salesamong retail
moto r fue l out lets i n Eng lan d and Wal es. T he
project s also enqu ired about measur es adopte d in
these out lets to prevent ill egal sale s of alcohol to
people under 18 years.
Methods
Researchers telephoned r etail service stations that
sold automotive fuel (petrol and diesel) to motorists
in England and Wales. The outlets were ident ified
from the British Telecomonline business telephone
directory. Twenty telephone areas were selected at
random using the Stats Direct Computer Statistical
Soft war e Pro gram me fr om 20 0 tele pho ne ar eas
listed i n the Brit ish Telecom dir ectory. Atte mpts
were m ade to c all all outl ets listed i n each area .
Researchers asked the retail sales assistants at each
fuel outlet whether alcoh olic drinks were also sold
from t he sa me ou tlet . The y wer e then a ske d
whet her, i n thei r exp eri ence , peo ple u nder 1 8
attempted to purchasealcohol and whether the staff
routinely asked people who appeared to be under 18
for formal identification of age in (it is illegal in the
UK for anyone u nder the age of 1 8 to purchase o r
attempt to purchase alcohol).
journalof public mental health
vol8 • issue 1
©Pavilion Journals (Br ighton) Ltd
Keywords
alcohol sales
motor vehicle accidents
marketing
availability theory
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