Pints in our pubs need to shrink in size in order to get us boozing less, boffins claim.
They think it’ll help reduce alcohol intake and make the nation healthier.
When 13 English boozers sold ‘pints’ two-thirds of their normal size for four weeks the amount of beer sold plummeted by almost 10%.
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But the Cambridge University study also saw wine sales soar at the same time. However, the eggheads said overall alcohol consumption was still reduced.
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They reckon it indicates serving smaller “pints” would be an effective way of reducing how much we knock back.
Professor Theresa Marteau said: “Smaller serving sizes help us drink less and presents a novel way of reducing alcohol consumption and improving population health.
“Reducing alcohol consumption is a global public health priority.”
The brainiacs found that removing the normal pint size slashed the daily mean volume of beer, lager and cider sold by 9.7%.
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But there was a 7.2% rise in the amount of wine purchased, with one pub contributing to half of the increase in sales of plonk.
Prof Marteau, director of the university’s Behaviour and Health Research Unit, said: “Further assessment is needed, particularly into whether people fully compensated for reduced beer consumption by drinking other alcoholic drinks.
“But the intervention merits consideration for inclusion in alcohol control policies.
“Smaller serving sizes could contribute towards reducing alcohol consumption across populations and thereby decrease the risk of seven cancers and other diseases.”
Researchers asked pubs and bars to offer the smaller ‘pint’ glass for four weeks.
They compared this period to normal four-week segments before and after it.
Earlier studies found that when wine was offered in smaller glass sizes, the amount sold decreased.