Restrictions on the Sale and Supply of Alcohol: Evidence and Outcomes



Executive Summary

Introduction

Levels of alcohol consumption and related harms are a function of both demand and supply (availability). In their various forms, the imposition of regulations and restrictions are a common means by which authorities have attempted to achieve balance between the costs and apparent benefits of alcohol supply and consumption.

There is a range of ways in which regulatory controls can be used to influence alcohol consumption and related harms in communities including the imposition of; alcohol taxes and levies; limits on numbers, types and trading hours of outlets; controls on the types of alcoholic beverages sold, responsible beverage service requirements; and, government control of liquor outlets. These can be usefully divided into controls on the:

1. economic availability of alcohol which refers to the price of alcoholic beverages in relation to the disposable income of drinkers; and,

2. the physical availability of alcohol which relates to the ease with which individuals can obtain or come into contact with alcohol in their local environments.

This study was initiated in an attempt to provide a comprehensive response to unanswered questions about ‘what works and where’ in relation to the many and varied alcohol restrictions applied throughout Australia. The specific objectives of the study were to:

1. determine the effectiveness of past and existing restrictions, or ‘packages’ of restrictions and conditions placed on the sale of alcohol and measures of alcohol related harm, drawing on both national and international studies;

2. identify current best practice in relation to the use of restrictions on the supply of alcohol;

3. identify the key factors determining whether or not restrictions on the sale of alcohol are, or could be, effective in the short- and long-term, in relation to both metropolitan situations and regional and remote communities, Indigenous communities, and also both individual premises and locality restrictions; and,

4. identify the restrictions or package of restrictions most likely to result in meaningful and/or sustainable reduction of alcohol-related harm within regional and remote communities within Western Australia, and identify other conditions or factors that need to be in place for optimal effectiveness.

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