Adjunct Fellow, Dr Cameron Shackell has identified how alcohol-free and low alcohol (nolo) drinks that mimic established alcoholic counterparts (nolo lookalikes) has created a natural pricing experiment. Although excise-free, they are often priced similarly to drinks containing alcohol. Published in The Lancet Public Health, Dr Shackell suggests attention to these patterns could help clarify how these products are integrated into industry's pricing architectures and how portfolio strategies might adjust in response to future reforms.
A solution is offered by way of surveillance techniques of nolo products and recognising nolo lookalikes as an emerging aspect of the commercial determinants of health could strengthen alcohol pricing policy.
