The level and pattern of alcohol consumption by children and young people is of particular concern with its consequences on health, crime, violence and anti-social behaviour (Chief Medical Officer for Wales, 2009). Two in every five Welsh 15-year olds say they drink alcohol weekly and half have been drunk at least twice in their lifetime. The individual, social and economic burden of alcohol use is substantial.

A key element of the remit of Alcohol Concern is to inform the development of effective alcohol policy and improved services for people whose lives are affected by alcohol-related problems. To this end Alcohol Concern Wales has funded this research project, to review the evidence on measures to achieve positive change in the drinking culture in Wales. The project has involved a review and synthesis of the existing research literature in order to inform evidence-based policy and practice in Wales. This has been complemented by a consultation process on the main findings with a limited number of individual stakeholders across Wales.

The aim of the review is: to collate international evidence about the effectiveness of policy implementation (by government and other statutory and non-statutory agencies) in shifting the culture of alcohol use; to examine the interaction and interdependence between different measures; and to assess applicability of interventions that have been successful in other countries to the Welsh context.