The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) has released its 2025 Report on Underage Drinking, which highlights the global progress that is being made in reducing underage drinking.
The report provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of underage drinking across 66 countries that have released recent data.
According to the report underage drinking has declined or stabilised in more than half (58 per cent) of these countries since 2010, with reductions of 40 per or more in some countries, including Australia, Japan and the United States.
The IARD says that these results demonstrate the power of partnership in tackling underage drinking, with governments, health experts and industry all playing vital roles.
However, the IARD added that while progress has been made, significant challenges remain, including disparities between drinking rates of underage boys and girls and inconsistent data in developing nations.
Julian Braithwaite, Chief Executive of IARD said: “This report shows real progress, with underage drinking declining or stabilising in nearly 60 per cent of countries, including sharp drops in the US, Australia, and Japan.
“IARD members have responded to the UN’s call by raising standards and achieving 98 per cent compliance with digital safeguards, helping ensure alcohol marketing and sales reach only adults. We are committed to building on this momentum at the UN’s High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases later this year.”
Locally Retail Drinks Australia has developed various campaigns to help reduce underage drinking and CEO Michael Waters told The Shout: “Retail Drinks welcomes new global research showing that the rates of underage drinking have declined significantly throughout a number of countries, including in Australia.
“This research supports statistics from Australian Government sources demonstrating the trend of younger generations of Australians not only drinking less but also abstaining for longer.
“Retail Drinks is proud of the role we and our members have played over many years in developing and promoting key Industry Responsibility initiatives focused on preventing underage sale and supply, including ID25, Don’t Buy It For Them, and our Online Alcohol Sale & Delivery Code of Conduct.
“While Australia’s drinking culture continues to improve, we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to the responsible promotion, sale, and supply of alcohol beverage products.”
Key initiatives from the IARD and its member companies:
- Age-restriction messaging on billions of product labels annually
- Responsible marketing practices, including partnerships with major digital platforms for digital safeguards with a current compliance rate of 98.2%
- Partnerships with retailers to prevent underage access to alcohol
- Education campaigns highlighting that young people should not drink alcohol.
The IARD is a not-for-profit organisation supported by leading global beer, wine and spirits producers who together with the Alliance to be part of the solution in combating harmful drinking.
