Adolescent Alcohol Purchasing from Packaged Liquor Outlets in 28 Communities across Australia. a RCT and 1 Year Follow up.

Background: Access to the supply of alcohol is an important factor influencing adolescent alcohol consumption. Although alcohol sales outlets are prohibited from selling alcohol to underage youth, there has been limited research investigating compliance in Australia. Method: The present study sought to examine the extent that a mystery shopper intervention impacted on the extent to which adolescents that appeared underage were successfully able to purchase alcohol from packaged liquor outlets in Australia. Method: 28 matched communities were randomly allocated (14 intervention & 14 control). Packaged liquor outlets were identified in each of the communities. Role-play shoppers were selected by an expert panel to look younger than 18 years old and asked to purchase alcohol from community outlets in both control and intervention communities. Best practice involves asking for age verification for anyone who looks under the age of 25 years. In the intervention communities, feedback letters were sent to outlets, informing them of practice in their stores. Results: Purchase surveys were conducted (n = 310) packaged liquor outlets across three states of Australia: Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria. Confederates successfully purchased alcohol at 60% (95% CI: 55–66) of outlets. This study will report the results of the post-intervention period in intervention and control period, and a 6 and 12 month follow up period.