Charity boss raises concerns about Wiganers' drinking habits in cost-of-living crisis

Sharon Wain, director for With You, the organisation supporting people in the borough with alcohol and substance misuse, has shared her concerns about how people choose to drink alcohol when money is tight and the reasons they drink.

A survey commissioned by With You found 56 per cent of adults were prioritising drinking at home, rather than at pubs.

Two-thirds of the 2,000 adults in polling company Markettiers’ survey – which included 100 people from Wigan – said they now buy more alcohol from supermarkets and more than a third (36 per cent) have tried cheaper alcohol brands.

Almost a third (32 per cent) of respondents in Wigan agreed that one of the most important factors when buying alcohol was the cost.

But 46 per cent said they were not aware that less expensive brands often have a higher alcohol content.

Poor mental health related to the cost-of-living crisis could increase alcohol consumption, as the poll found more than a third of UK adults (38 per cent) agreed they drink more alcohol when they feel anxious and 39 per cent agreed they drink more when they feel depressed or sad.

Ms Wain said: “With more people drinking out of sight at home, we are concerned this could lead to higher levels of alcohol dependence, particularly for people using alcohol to cope with the mental health pressures related to the rising cost of living.

"Drinking alcohol can increase issues such as anxiety. Sometimes people can get caught in a cycle where they are drinking to alleviate their issues but only making them worse in the long run.

“People across Wigan are also prioritising buying cheaper alcohol, which often contains a higher alcohol content without realising .When buying alcohol from the shops, it can be tempting to buy in bulk. But this makes it easy to drink more than you plan to. You may end up consuming a higher quantity of alcohol over a shorter amount of time.”

Eighteen per cent of Wiganers questioned said they were prioritising spending money on alcohol, rather than essential gas and electric bills.

Other essential items that have become less of a priority included food (15 per cent) and essential clothing (14 per cent).

The polling also found people with alcohol issues were unlikely to come forward, with a third agreeing that if they were worried about their consumption, they would prefer not to seek any support.

Ms Wain said: “We know from our polling that many people would not feel comfortable talking to anyone if they were worried about their alcohol consumption. People may also be concerned there is not support available for their needs or they will face long wait times to be seen.

“It’s vital people understand that if they, or someone they know, needs support for issues with alcohol, they can speak to a trained advisor for free and confidentially via our webchat service on our website.”