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Alcohol Purchase Modality: Differences in Demographics, Purchase Patterns and Alcohol‐Related Harms Among Australians Who Drink at High‐Risk Levels

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Alcohol home delivery increases alcohol availability and is associated with high-risk drinking and increased harms. However, little is known about the specific impacts home delivery has among people who consume alcohol at high-risk levels. The current study examined demographics, purchase patterns and alcohol-related harms among Australian adults classified as drinking at high-risk levels, by purchase modality (in-store vs. online for delivery). METHODS: An online panel survey of 700 Australian adults who drink alcohol at high-risk levels measured demographics, usual purchasing behaviour, most recent alcohol purchase and alcohol-related harms. Participants were classified according to how they purchase alcohol: (i) only in-store (n = 202); (ii) occasionally online (n = 299); and (iii) frequently online (n = 199). Regression models controlling for demographics and clustering by location examined the association between purchase modality and purchasing behaviours and harms. RESULTS: Participants who purchased alcohol frequently online had significantly higher AUDIT-10 scores, were younger, less likely to be female, had higher levels of education, and were more likely to live in high socio-economic areas compared to those purchasing in-store or occasionally online. Participants purchasing frequently online were also significantly more likely to use buy-now-pay-later options than the occasionally online participant group. There were no clear differences in alcohol-related harms experienced by participant groups. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The current study reaffirms the need for effective regulations targeting home delivery of alcohol, such as mandated delivery timeframes between sale and delivery and removal of buy-now-pay-later payment options from online alcohol stores.

Source: Drug and Alcohol Review

DOI: 10.1111/dar.70069