Just under 200,000 people took part in Dry January last month, according to Alcohol Change UK.
Based on previous data almost 70 per cent of Dry January participants continue to consume fewer units for at least six months, the charity says.
Alcohol Change UK has international partners in France, Austria, Switzerland, Norway and the US, with people from more than 180 countries in total taking part. UK participants saved an average of £124 over the course of the month this year, it says, consuming an average of 100 fewer units of alcohol and more than 7,000 fewer calories, and using the charity’s Try Dry app, daily motivational emails and online support communities.
This year marked the 12th anniversary of Dry January, with 4,000 people taking part in January 2013. ‘The Dry January challenge is about more than numbers,’ says Alcohol Change UK. ‘It’s about the benefits people feel from resetting their relationship with alcohol for the longer term and the supportive online community that forms with people helping each other to succeed in whatever way works for them. These experiences can be transformative.’
Meanwhile, a WHO report is calling for prominent cancer warnings to be included on alcohol labelling. Public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer remains ‘alarmingly low’ in Europe, the agency states, with a study across 14 countries finding that just 15 per cent of respondents were aware of the link between alcohol and breast cancer and less than 40 per cent knew of the link to colon cancer.
The report calls for mandatory labelling, rather than self-regulation, featuring ‘clear and prominent’ health warnings. Ireland became the first country to commit to mandatory labelling for alcohol products in 2023, although they are not due to come into force until next year (https://www.drinkanddrugsnews.com/caught-in-the-act/), with campaigners urging the industry ‘not to cause any further delay’.
‘Clear and prominent health warning labels on alcohol, which include a specific cancer warning, are a cornerstone of the right to health, because they empower individuals with vital information to make informed choices about the harm alcoholic products can cause,’ said WHO’s regional director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge. ‘Providing this information does not take anything away from consumers – on the contrary, it arms them with knowledge, and knowledge is power.’
Alcohol health warning labels: a public health perspective for Europe.