Alcohol warning labels and their effects on consumers

Description of impact

The cost to the health service and emergency services (including law and order) due to unhealthy levels of alcohol consumption are XXXXXX The research findings inform practitioners on how best to design health information campaigns and policy-makers in considering a health warnings policy for alcohol products.

Description of the underpinning research

The research is looking at how consumers process health information that can be displayed on products which pose health risks to consumers. Experimental research is being undertaken to evaluate alternative health messages in order to identify messages that might influence behaviour regarding keeping to government low-risk drinking guidelines. Findings to date show that particular combinations of message factors cause boomerang effects resulting in lowering consumers’ intentions to keep to government low-risk guidelines.

The research builds on previous work by Hassan and Shiu in the tobacco area.
Hassan, L.M., and Shiu, E. (2015), “No Place to Hide: Two Pilot Studies Assessing the Effectiveness of Adding a Health Warning to the Cigarette Stick,” Tobacco Control, 24, e3-e5.
Hassan, L.M., Shiu, E., Thrasher, J.R., Fong, G.T., and Hastings ,G. (2008), “Exploring the Effectiveness of Cigarette Warning Labels: Findings from the United States and United Kingdom Arms of the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey,” International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 13 (3), 263-274.
Shiu, E., Hassan, L.M., and Walsh, G. (2009), “Demarketing Tobacco Through Governmental Policies – The 4Ps Revisited,” Journal of Business Research, 62 (2), 269-278.

The findings of the alcohol work have so far been disseminated at the Academy of Marketing Science conference, Public Health England, European Public Health Conference, through a website (www.alcoholwarninglabels.info) and at a workshop on alcohol warnings run by Hassan and Shiu (see details on www.alcoholwarninglabels.info). Note that this workshop had a high attendance from practitioners.
A special section of the leading journal Alcohol and Alcoholism is in preparation.

Paper in preparation include:
A systematic review of previous alcohol warning label studies

Impact status	Potential
Category of impact	Health/Quality of life, Policy and Public Services, Societal, Economic