Young keep eye on drink strength

PEOPLE who drink at home rather than going out to pubs are more likely to pay attention to the strength of the alcohol they buy, according to a study.

But only a third of people who drink at home say they bother to check the label for alcohol per volume levels. Surprisingly, almost four out of ten home drinkers in the 18 to 24 age bracket say they check the labels compared to 27 per cent of 25 to 64-year-olds.

Alex Beckett, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, which carried out the research, said: “As a nation well-acquainted with booze, most adults have a vague idea of their drink’s strength.

“Younger people drink more and are more likely to drink purely to get drunk, so their interest in the strength could relate to pacing their intake or that they’re eager to consume the most intoxicating drink.”