There is growing policy momentum for addressing alcohol consumption related to cancer risk. At the World Cancer Congress in 2022, Dr Kate Allen, our Science and Policy Adviser, shared how we were using our insights from global diet and nutrition policy to work in the alcohol sphere and how we were going to start working in this area. Since then, there has been an increase in interest in reducing alcohol consumption, with many more sessions and presentations on alcohol and cancer at the most recent World Cancer Congress.
We know that alcohol consumption is deeply ingrained in the fabric of many societies and cultures. A move to regulate alcohol consumption could be perceived as an attack on something very personal – a source of leisure and relaxation, as well as national economic revenue. We’ve had difficult conversations about how we should talk about alcohol, but also strong reassurance that the cancer perspective is needed and welcomed.
Should the policy recommendations be watered down to potentially make them more appealing to policymakers and the general public? We don’t think so. The evidence on cancer and alcohol is so strong that to weaken any recommendations could undermine the strength of our evidence. Studies have also shown that increased awareness of the health risks of alcohol results in higher levels of public support for implementing alcohol policies.
Many people just aren’t aware of the evidence that alcohol can cause cancer, so we focused on sending a vital message to policymakers. The strong, evidence-based cancer angle is extremely compelling in arguing for alcohol control measures. This, coupled with the wide range of harms caused by alcohol, makes a powerful case for greater control.
How to reduce alcohol harm
We’ve outlined a menu of recommendations in the knowledge that policymakers may have the political will or capital to enact only 1 or 2. However, action is needed across many areas, and effectiveness and return on investment are greater when multiple policies are implemented.
Our 5 recommendations are:
1. Fiscal and pricing policies to make alcoholic beverages less affordable and available
This includes higher excise taxes and minimum unit pricing (MUP). A legal minimum price should be set per gram of alcohol, to ensure that increased taxes are matched with increased prices. Scotland has a MUP for alcohol, which increased from 50p to 65p by the end of September 2024.
2. Restricting physical availability and accessibility of alcoholic beverages
This includes restricting locations and times of sale, setting a legal minimum age for drinking or purchasing alcohol, and prohibiting promotions or sales on alcohol. Alcohol retail monopolies, such as those in Finland, are an effective method to introduce or strengthen these policies.
3. Mandatory health warning labels on alcoholic products
We recommend highly visible, clear health warning labels to tell consumers about the risks of consuming alcohol, which can reduce sales. Ireland is the first country to require comprehensive health warning labels on alcohol products, which are expected to be in place from 2026.
4. Restrict or ban promotion and sponsorship of alcoholic products and brands, including marketing and advertising
Marketing — especially the advertising, sponsorship and promotion — of alcohol products and brands should be either banned or comprehensively restricted across all forms of media, including traditional, digital and social platforms, as well as social media influencers and celebrities.
5. Update national guidance on alcohol and health to include the latest evidence on cancer risk
Guidance should reflect that drinking less alcohol is better, and none is best for cancer risk, such as Canada’s recently updated guidance.
In addition to policy recommendations, our recent policy position includes other important aspects to consider when developing alcohol policies, such as:
- Language: avoid the phrases “harmful use of alcohol” and “drink responsibly”.
- Conflicts of interest and commercial determinants of health: the alcohol industry’s involvement in developing alcohol policy is a clear conflict of interest — governments must acknowledge this and prohibit industry involvement.
- No and low-alcohol products: NoLo are an emerging market, and the evidence on whether NoLo products reduce or encourage alcohol consumption is unclear. However, harmonising definitions of NoLo and marketing restrictions are needed.
Each of these areas is covered in detail in our policy position.
Next up, we’ll continue to work with our partners at the World Health Organization and civil society to make more people aware of the links between alcohol and cancer, and the best evidence-based policies to reduce consumption.
For Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, we want to raise awareness that breast cancer is the 3rd most common type of cancer attributable to alcohol — especially considering that 80% of people remain unaware of the links between breast cancer and alcohol. Our alcohol and cancer activities will continue into the new year with Cancer Prevention Action Week in February 2025 — stay tuned to see how you can participate and help improve alcohol policy in the UK.
