Right: please order at the counter: the new "fast-casual" style KFC hopes to pioneer in Australia
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Arguments against selling alcohol at fast food outlets like KFC
1. Excessive alcohol consumption is a major public health problem in Australia
Excessive alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for disease and mortality in Australia.
Examples of the conditions and incidents contributed to through harmful alcohol consumption are cirrhosis of the liver; breast, oral, liver and colorectal cancers; stroke, inflammatory heart disease and hypertension; road traffic accidents; memory lapse; and falls, suicide, and drowning.
Results from the 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey show that, in 2013, for Australians aged 14 years and over there were the following alcohol consumption rates and adverse consequences. Almost 1 in 5 (18.2%) people drank at levels that placed them at lifetime risk of an alcohol related disease or injury. More than 1 in 3 (38%) people drank at levels that placed them at risk of injury on a single occasion in the last 12 months, with 1 in 4 (26%) doing so as often as monthly.
The problem is particularly concerning among young people. The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) states, 'Alcohol consumption among Australian adolescents before the legal age of 18 years is the norm, rather than the exception...The most recent survey on 24,403 secondary students aged 12-17 years shows that by the age of 14 years 90 per cent of Australian adolescents have tried a full glass of alcohol, and 95 per cent of 17 year olds have tried a full glass.'
The AIFS further states, 'Once their first glass of alcohol is consumed, a sizeable proportion of adolescents appear to progress to regular drinking. With regard to repeated consumption... 20 per cent of males and 17 per cent of females aged 14-17 years were classified as regular weekly drinkers...'
Alcohol consumption is particularly injurious to young drinkers, whose brains are still developing, leaving highly vulnerable to long-term physiological brain damage. The AIFS states, 'Binge drinking [among adolescents] can cause bowel, central nervous system, and psychological problems, and is also related to a high risk of injury, assault, road accidents, fights, other violence, sexual assault, and unprotected sex.'
2. Selling alcohol at fast food outlets, like KFC, will promote and normalise the consumption of alcohol to children
It has been claimed that the already successful marketing of fast foods like KFC to children will led to increasing their awareness of alcohol and their acceptance of its consumption if alcoholic beverages are also sold at these outlets.
Mike Daube, Professor of Health Policy at Curtin University, has stated, 'It really is quite absurd to be associating a product like KFC with alcohol.
This is a product that is massively marketed to kids and to families and the last thing we need is kids associating a child-friendly brand with alcohol.'
Professor Daube has further stated, 'This comes at a time when kids around the country are watching the KFC Big Bash [a cricket competition] on TV and at grounds every day. Now they will associate KFC and its marketing not only with junk food but with alcohol.'
Professor Daube has concluded, 'There is very substantial evidence that kids are influenced by alcohol advertising and that's why there is so much pressure to curb even more the kind of alcohol to which kids are exposed. KFC is the last place where alcohol should be sold.'
3. Selling alcohol at fast food outlets, like KFC, will promote alcohol consumption by teenagers
Recent research has indicated that early exposure of children to alcohol dramatically increases their likelihood as teenagers of drinking independently and in large quantities.
It has been believed that the monitored familiarisation of teenagers to alcohol within a family environment was a way of ensuring that they would become moderate and responsible drinkers as they grew older. This has been popularly referred to as the 'European model'; however, at least in the Australian context, such a practice has been shown to be a dramatic failure.
Professor Richard Mattick of the University of New South Wales has stated that his research has indicated that 'Parents providing alcohol to children makes those children three times more likely to drink whole beverages in mid teens compared to those who don't.'
The New South Wales survey of more than 2000 families also found that by sixteen who have alcohol at home at fifteen times more likely to also obtain drinks from other sources.'
Professor Mattick further commented on the causal factors leading to teenage drinking, 'I thought parental supply would be in the mix. I was really surprised to see it was the strongest single predictor.'
Dr Stephen Parnis, the Vice President of the Australian Medical Association has stated, 'We have to be a little bit more black and white about when young people should be exposed to alcohol and [research] is suggesting it should be later in life.'
In the context of these warnings, critics of the KFC proposal to allow the sale of alcohol in fast food outlets have argued that such a move would clearly be dangerous.
4. Selling alcohol at fast food outlets has not been commercially successful for some companies
It has been claimed that a number of the United States fast food outlets that attempted to move into alcohol sales have not found the venture profitable.
Some of the fast food restaurants that have experimented with selling alcohol have stated that it has not been the success they had hoped. Some customers apparently do not think wine or beer and fast food mix. This concern appears to be felt by the young adult market some of whom do not find the fast food venues have a sufficiently sophisticated atmosphere. Similarly, family groups are generally disinclined to enter venues where alcohol is served.
The venues also note that the logistics involved with selling alcohol can be difficult and expensive. The problems include obtaining permits, training a staff that has high turnover, slowing down service when IDs have to be checked, and finding a dedicated area for alcohol service. Fast food restaurants have also had to hire security guards to keep away underage drinkers, and expect insurance rates to increase.
Drew Ritger is the vice president of Sonic, a drive-in chain based in Oklahoma City, which added beer and wine to the menu in its new Homestead, location in July, 2011. Mr Ritger has stated, 'Candidly, customers are not utilizing those [alcohol] products very much at this point. It doesn't look like it's a big deal to consumers - it's clear they come to us to have an extra-long cheese coney or an all-beef hot dog.'
5. Selling alcohol at fast food outlets like KFC will encourage drink driving
The concern has also been expressed that if alcohol is served at fast food outlets this is likely to increase the risk of drunk driving.
Fast food outlets do not encourage the leisurely consumption of food. Critics of selling alcohol at such outlets are concerned that the practice will encourage the rapid consumption of alcohol followed by driving. They claim that whether the alcohol is sold at the drive-through window or not will not affect the 'eat and run' ethos that is part of purchasing food at a fast food outlet. Rapid through rates are a traditional feature of these eateries and staff are usually penalised if food is not served in a predetermined time.
KFC in Canada has already established a number of outlets selling alcohol as well as fast food. An opinion piece published in Lifesaver Canada on August 22, 2014, it was stated, 'Adding beer to the menu may result in customers thinking that fast food means fast drinking - and fast drinking can lead to drinking and driving, even if all the customer meant to do was stop for a quick bucket of chicken.'