Beer pressure: Friends a major influence when it comes to drinking alcohol

Pressure to drink from friends is the number one influencing factor in drinking alcohol in the UK, a survey has revealed.

From the 1,697 men and women questioned, a startling 85% had experienced bullying from friends to consume alcohol.

The study was done by One Year No Beer (OYNB), in collaboration with Stirling University.

In the Calendar region, men felt 26% more peer pressure than the UK average, with family being the biggest pressure point.

The survey also found:

• After friends, 50% of respondents admitted to being pressured into drinking by colleagues and family, and 2 out of 5 said they get pestered into drinking by their partner.

• Generally men felt coerced into drinking more often than women - men’s pressure threshold is 6% higher than women’s.

• Men are 20% more likely to get nagged into drinking by their colleagues and 37% more by their bosses.

• Women say they feel more pressure to drink from their partners (22% more than men).

• Adults aged between 18-45 felt more pressure to drink with friends than an older demographic, whereas men aged 55-plus were 58% more likely to drink on their own.