Lighter choice. Better bowls. – DrinkWise and Bowls Australia

DrinkWise and Bowls Australia continue to work together to encourage older Australians to rethink the amount they drink and provide practical ways they can reduce their overall alcohol consumption. Launching in July 2021 at the Australian Open Bowls Championship on the Gold Coast, the partnership expanded in 2022/2023 to deliver the Lighter Choice. Better Bowls campaign. This campaign encourages moderation for those drinking at risky levels by swapping full-strength alcohol for zero and lower-strength options.

Lighter choice. Better bowls.

DrinkWise and Bowls Australia came together to launch the Lighter choice. Better bowls. education campaign in Queensland in October 2022. The launch was led by Federal Minister for Sport and Aged Care, the Hon Anika Wells MP, with the support of bowls legend Karen Murphy AM. The campaign encourages everyone visiting Lawn Bowls Clubs around Australia to think about how they can cut back on alcohol without cutting out the socialising.

Education resources including bar mats, coasters, posters and table toppers have been delivered to bowls clubs around Australia, with the resources reminding club members and their guests to make safe and healthy choices if consuming alcohol.

What the campaign leaders say

Federal Minister for Sport and Aged Care, the Hon Anika Wells MP said: “This is a great way to highlight the importance of healthy choices. The message of the campaign is to encourage players and all Australians to look at their consumption and how to incorporate lower alcohol alternatives for health benefits.”

“I think we see the unity and the connection that sports, like bowls, bring. Initiatives like Lighter choice. Better bowls. promote stronger communities and encourage Australia’s almost 700,000 bowls participants to look at their consumption.

“As Aged Care Minister I am often speaking to older Australians who yearn to be part of communities and sports like bowls help foster friendships.”

DrinkWise Chief Executive Officer Simon Strahan said: “This new campaign with Bowls Australia provides an important springboard to continue to promote behavioural change. It’s an opportunity to remind all Australians that to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day.

“This DrinkWise and Bowls Australia campaign will assist us to continue to educate Australians about making healthier and safer choices if choosing to drink alcohol as they socialise and compete, as well as highlight the benefits to their health and to their bowls game.”

“Our aim is to remind bowlers of all levels and those who frequent bowls clubs for social gatherings to make informed choices if drinking and consider zero, low and mid strength alternatives as a way to cut back on their alcohol consumption.”

Bowls Australia President Bob Boorman said: “We know that catching up in the clubhouse following a game of bowls is an important weekly routine for around three quarters of a million Australians who play at their local bowls clubs and we want to increase both the availability and awareness of the mid, low and zero alcohol alternatives now available to players, members and guests.”

“Bowls Clubs are also integral to our local communities and we want to ensure that as players, members and guests come together to socialise, have a meal, catch up with friends and family, and play bowls, they are making safe and responsible choices and having a great experience.”
“The DrinkWise moderation resources will help educate bowls participants and supporters around the country.

The campaign

Australian Open Bowls Championship

The DrinkWise and Bowls Australia partnership launched in July 2021 during the Australian Open Bowls Championship on the Gold Coast. At this time, research indicated an estimated 1.3 million Australians over the age of 50 were drinking at risky levels1. Research also showed that despite a predicted 30% increase globally in the volume of zero and low alcohol products over the next three years2, 72%of Australians aged 50+ had not tried a lower strength alcohol product as a way to reduce their alcohol consumption3.

The DrinkWise and Bowls Australia partnership provides an important platform to promote safe drinking patterns for lawn bowls payers and supporters. DrinkWise branding was on full display across the Australian Open finals, including in the lead up to the event, Bowls Premier League and World Bowls Championship events. Targeted localised activity also took place through local community bowls clubs, promoting positive drinking messages.

Backed by Research

As an evidence-based organisation, DrinkWise relies on key independent research and clinical advice to underpin our campaigns and programs. The following insights informed the partnership with Bowls Australia and the Lighter choice. Better bowls campaign:

The Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol (‘the Guidelines’) from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) advise that to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day. The less you drink, the lower your risk of harm from alcohol. 

In July and August of 2021, DrinkWise commissioned research of over 3,000 Australians to better understand their drinking habits and found4,:

  • 43% of drinkers are looking to cut back on their consumption.
  • 61% of Australians believed that providing zero and lower-strength alcohol products allows consumers to take greater responsibility and control of their drinking choices.
  • Over 70% of 55+ drinkers believe there is an opportunity for consumers to take greater responsibility and control of their drinking habits through the availability of lower and zero strength alcohol products.
  • There is an opportunity to raise awareness of the options of zero, low and mid-strength products since they are becoming increasingly popular choices and are aligning with the changing tastes of Australians.

This launch in Queensland was also strategically aligned with the DrinkWise study4 which indicated Queenslanders are significantly more likely to be drinking alcohol at risky levels than the nation’s average (34% vs 28%). Drinkers in the Sunshine State also agreed that providing access to lower strength and zero alcohol products allows consumers to take greater control of their drinking choices (58%).

With two thirds of bowls participants aged 60 and over, the partnership comes at an important time with research finding an estimated 1.3 million Australians over the age of 50 are drinking at risky levels1.

  1. National Centre on Education, Training and Addiction, Ageing and Alcohol: Drinking Typologies among Older Adults, Journal of Ageing, 2020 (www.journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/ 0898264320936953)
  2. IWSR Global Zero and Low Alcohol Strategic Study, January 2021.
  3. 89 Degrees East, Health Wellness and Drinking Habits of over 50s, April 2021.
  4. DrinkWise research of Alcohol Consumer Behaviours, July-August 2021.

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