Criteria

The alcohol category includes taxation (40%), advertising restrictions (20%), minimum pricing (10%), alcohol display ban (5%) and other (25%).

Taxation is divided into three categories of alcohol duty: beer, wine and spirits. Each has equal weighting. The data come from the European Commission (wine and spirits) and the Tax Foundation (beer). Tax rates are adjusted for median incomes. The country with the highest rate of tax scores 100. The other countries’ scores are based on their tax rate as a percentage of the highest taxing country. Calculations are made for each of the three types of drink, leaving a score out of 300 which is converted into a score out of 40.

Advertising is divided into three categories: broadcast advertising, outdoor advertising and sponsorship. These are subdivided into two further categories: beer/wine and spirits (beer and wine tend to be subject to the same advertising restrictions). Each of the six resulting subcategories is given a score out of 10, with 10 representing a full ban and 0 representing no significant restrictions. This leaves a score out of 60 which is converted to a score out of 20.

Minimum pricing currently only applies to Scotland and Wales. It is worth up to ten points.

Retail display ban requires alcoholic beverages to be covered up or kept away from other groceries and is worth up to 5 points.

Other is made up of the following five subcategories with a total value of 25 points:

Retail monopoly. Some countries have a state-owned monopoly on alcohol retail, thereby restricting competition, reducing availability and raising prices. Monopoly = 5 points. No monopoly = 0 points.

Statutory closing time in the on-trade. Some countries force bars and restaurants to stop serving alcohol and/or close at a certain time of night. These countries score 10 points, those which allow the proprietor to decide when to close receive 0 points.

Zero or near-zero drunk driving limit. Most EU countries have a drunk driving limit of 0.05% blood alcohol concentration. In some countries, however, the limit is set so low as to be more of temperance measure than a road safety measure. A limit of 0.02% or lower is well below the range at which driving becomes dangerous and has the effect of discouraging people from consuming alcohol if they are driving the following morning. Countries which set the limit at 0.02% or lower are given 5 points in the index.

Ban on promotions. Some countries restrict or ban the use of sales promotions such as happy hour or two-for-one deals. No restrictions = 0 points. Partial restrictions: up to 9 points. Full ban: 10 points.

Drinking age. Countries which have a higher alcohol purchasing age than 18 get up to ten points.

The ‘other’ subcategory produces a score out of 40 which is adjusted to make a score out of 25 for the alcohol index.