Research suggests more drink at home than in the pub

People are becoming increasingly more likely to drink beer at home than in the pub, suggests a new report.

Research company Datamonitor says British people drink the equivalent of 2.2 pints of lager when they go to the pub - more than their European counterparts.

However, this is a drop on previous years, pouring scorn on statements claiming Britain's pubs are turning into a haven of drunkenness under the new Licensing Act.

In fact, the report says people are drinking less alcohol each time they go out and more is being spent on soft drinks.

The total volume of alcohol sold in the on-trade is remaining stable in most of Western Europe, but it is declining significantly in the UK, with volumes falling from 272 million litres in 2000 to 251 million in 2005.

Datamonitor analyst John Band said: "Going out is becoming less about drinking, and alcohol consumption is becoming something people do at home.

"It's clear that the culture of binge-drinking is on the way out, with British consumption per occasion falling closer in line with the continent," he added.

Mark Hastings, communications director of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: "Today's pub is about more than selling alcohol. People want more than just a drink - they are looking for food and entertainment."

The report's predictions for the future will come as no surprise to publicans. It says women in the UK are catching up with men on the amount they drink. By 2010 it forecasts women will account for 38 per cent of all on-trade drinking, up from 32 per cent in 2005. "This will be exacerbated by the impending smoking ban, which will make venues more attractive to faster-growing consumer groups such as women," it says.