United Kingdom: Asda and Drinkaware team up for alcohol awareness campaign
By Martin Green
January 38, 2020
Alcohol education charity Drinkaware set up stalls in 47 Asda stores across the UK this month in a bid to help shoppers drink responsibly.
It is the fourth year of a successful partnership between the industry-funded charity and the retailer. Around 3,300 customers visited a Drinkaware stand in-store and 150 people engaged with the campaign online in the 10 stores where a Drinkaware ambassador was equipped with a tablet.
This year’s activity included a focus on Drink Free Days, Drinkaware’s campaign to help drinkers aged 45-64 reduce their alcohol consumption by taking more drink free days each week.
Ambassadors also handed out alcohol assessment scratch cards, alcohol unit measure cups, and “talking to your kids about alcohol” leaflets.
Drinkaware chief executive Elaine Hindal said: “We’re delighted with our activity in Asda stores, giving us a powerful platform to talk directly to their shoppers every January, a time when many people are looking for information and help to cut back on their drinking.
“Our Drink Free Days campaign, which is set to run again from early February, is proving a helpful tool for many people. We’re confident that its simple message, combined with the advice from our in-store ambassadors, will have encouraged many Asda customers to make positive changes about their drinking and lead a healthier life in 2020.”
Chris Lowe, senior director for public affairs at Asda, added: “We know that our customers respond positively to the Drinkaware presence in-store, and value the opportunity to receive factual, non-judgmental advice about drinking, in an informal setting. The initiative is an important part of Asda’s commitment to help our customers drink responsibly.”
Fourteen MPs visited their local Asda store and chatted to Drinkaware ambassadors and customers, including Dean Russell, MP for Watford, who said: “It was great to see Asda take a lead in promoting the need for responsible alcohol consumption. Drinkaware’s advice provides people with an easy and achievable way to cut back and reduce the risk of alcohol-related harm to their health.”