Public remains confused over safe drinking levels

The survey, published in the British Medical Journal, questioned 263 supermarket shoppers in Edinburgh. Researchers Jan Gill and Fiona O'May, from Queen Mary University College in Edinburgh, asked the shoppers about their knowledge of sensible drinking messages and awareness of alcohol labelling.

The Department of Health has recommended that men drink no more than 3-4 units of alcohol per day, and women should drink no more than 2-3 units. A 175ml glass of red or white wine contained around two units, while a pint of ordinary strength lager also had two units.

The survey found that most of those questioned were able to define roughly what a unit of alcohol was - only 14% of women and 16% of men were unable to give a response. However, there was poor knowledge of the recommended daily guidance.

Only 8% knew that women were limited to 2-3 units and 5% knew that men were limited to 3-4 units a day. Only 25% of women and 19% of men said they used the unit system to monitor their own personal drinking.

Of the 46% of people who said they preferred drinking wine, 22% could give no estimate of the number of units in a bottle and 36% thought it was seven or fewer units - the right answer is nine or more. Only 43% of those who had ever bought wine said they were aware of improved information on wine labelling.