Third of Britons 'limited or reduced' alcohol intake last year

A third of Britons have cut or limited their alcohol intake over the last year, a survey has found.

More than half of beer, wine and cider drinkers (51%) say they are drinking less alcohol than a few years ago, while 32% of Britons overall have reduced or limited their intake, analysts Mintel found.

The poll revealed that the shift is more due to economic rather than health factors, with 44% of those who have cut back doing so to save money and 41% wanting to lose weight.

But 39% are drinking less to improve their health and 30% have cut back to reduce the risk of disease.

Some 14% cut back because they are worried about becoming dependent on alcohol and the same proportion have reduced their drinking to stay within NHS and government guidelines.

Younger Britons are most likely to have cut back, at 35% of 25 to 43-year-olds and 36% of 35 to 44-year-olds (36%).

Britons living in the North East are most likely to be drinking less, at 41%, compared with 27% in the South East.