Dead on Arrival? Evaluating the Public Health Responsibility Deal for Alcohol

Key points

• The Responsibility Deal is not endorsed by academics or the public health community
• It has pursued initiatives known to have limited efficacy in reducing alcohol-related harm
• The evidence on the effectiveness of the Responsibility Deal is limited and unreliable, due to ambiguous goals and poor reporting practices
• Where evaluation has been possible, implementation has often failed to live up to the letter and/or spirit of the pledges
• The Responsibility Deal appears to have obstructed more meaningful initiatives with a stronger evidence base behind them