Responsible Drinking

Responsible Drinking

Many of our wines are best served alongside food and we always suggest to both our staff and our customers that they enjoy wine in moderation, with a glass of water and something to eat. On this page you will find information about some of the responsible drinking initiatives we have instigated or that we support.

Member of Drinkaware

Bibendum fully supports the work of the Drinkaware Trust. Drinkaware aims to change the UK's drinking habits for the better, by promoting responsible drinking and finding ways to challenge the national drinking culture, helping to reduce alcohol misuse and minimise alcohol-related harm. It is an independent, UK-wide charity, which is supported by voluntary donations from across the drinks industry to equip people with the knowledge they need to make decisions about how much they drink.

The Campaign for Smarter Drinking

Bibendum has been heavily involved in the Campaign for Smarter Drinking since its launch in September 2009. The campaign, organised and funded by the industry and Drinkaware, seeks to promote responsible drinking wherever possible using the 'Don’t Let the Good Times Go Bad' logo and message.

The campaign targets irresponsible drinking in the younger age bracket and seeks to educate and change behaviour through a large multimedia campaign. The aim is to make people think for themselves and focus on protecting good times when they are out, using a peer to peer tone. We have supported and reinforced the message by including this logo in over 1000 customer wine lists since the Campaign’s initial launch.

Wine & Spirits Trade Association

Bibendum’s Managing Director, Michael Saunders, is a member of the WSTA’s Wine Importers Panel which looks at all issues surrounding the industry, including misuse of alcohol, as well as guiding policy on potential future issues.

Public Health Responsibility Deal

Bibendum has signed up to the Government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal to tackle alcohol misuse, which was launched in 2011. Government, businesses and NGOs have come together through this initiative to improve public health through a series of voluntary commitments.  

The core pledge is to "foster a culture of responsible drinking, which will help people to drink within guidelines." Specific pledges include promoting official guidelines through product labelling, providing information on responsible drinking in both the on and off trade and supporting projects such as The Campaign for Smarter Drinking.

A ‘less but better’ approach to wine

Bibendum is committed to a ‘less but better’ approach to wine that aims to encourage consumers to drink one glass of something fantastic rather than a bottle or more of something less exciting. This approach helps our customers sell more profitable wines and gives consumers a much better experience when eating and drinking out.

We were very supportive of the change in the law that made offering 125ml serves compulsory and welcome the allowance of smaller pours from October 2011. This latest development allows consumers to experiment and engage with wine without having to buy and consume large quantities.

Offering an alternative to deep discounting

'Buy one get one free's' and other deep discounts are often cited as one area that encourages the purchase and consumption of large quantities of alcohol. Our off trade and market insights divisions work alongside the multiple grocers to provide consumers with compelling reasons to buy specific wines rather than discounted ones. This involves supporting premium own label products that are rarely, and never deeply, discounted and looking at consumer trends and interests to supply products that can be successful without the need for excessive price-led promotions.

Working with our own employees

All Bibendum employees are made aware of the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption and the recommended safe limits for personal consumption. This information is provided in the Company Handbook, which all new employees must read and sign. The handbook also provides links to organisations such as Drinkaware for those seeking further information.