Responsible Retailing Program for Alcohol Retailers

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Responsible Retailing Program for Alcohol Retailers. The Responsible Retailing Forum ( RRF ) has been developing a new model to reduce sales of alcohol and tobacco products to minors. Derived from the recommendations contained in the Report on Best Practices for Responsible Retailing, prepared as a federal guidance document for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention in 2002, the model employs a quality improvement approach to assist retailers improve age-verification. In test communities, the model has shown significant promise as a way of improving ID-checking and underage sales refusal. RRF recognizes that this model has significant commercial application as a program for retailers. RRF seeks to develop this model as a commercial venture in behalf of the American Beverage Licensees, a trade association with chapters in 40 states representing restaurants, taverns and package stores. This project will adapt a model of RR that has proven successful in community pilot studies so that it is responsive to the needs and characteristics of independently owned and operated restaurants, taverns and package stores. Researchers from Brandeis University, the Prevention Research Center and Boston University will partner with the RRF to: Conduct 6-8 telephone or in-person interviews with alcohol regulators to identify whether, and under what conditions, regulators would encourage or require licensees to enroll in an RR program Conduct 6-8 telephone or in-person interviews with state and national directors of ABL to identify the benefits / services that an RR program would need to offer for an owner-operator to participate in it Conduct 4 focus groups with restaurant / tavern owner-operators and 4 focus groups with package store owner-operators. Groups will consist of 10-12 individuals for a total of 80-96 individuals. Half the focus groups will be in environments where the frequency of law enforcement inspections is high and half in environments where the frequency of law enforcement inspections is low or moderate All 8 focus groups will examine owner-operator decision-making in the areas of: Risk Management; Staff- Management Communications; and Community Relations / Goodwill. The focus groups will also examine current program materials and generate suggestions for how these materials can best be adapted to owner- operated package stores, restaurants and taverns. Develop materials reflecting the recommendations generated in the focus groups for communicating managerial best practices to owner-operators and communicating to clerks / bartenders / wait staff Distribute the adapted managerial best practices and communication materials for clerks / bartenders / wait staff to 20 alcohol beverage licensees, 10 each in high and low or moderate frequency enforcement environments, and administer a telephone survey to measure responses to the materials This research on the technical and commercial feasibility of an RR program for alcohol beverage licensees will lead to a Phase II study to validate the effectiveness of the program in improving age-verification and sales refusal when offered with, and without, incentives for retailers to participate. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Responsible Retailing Program for Alcohol Retailers. This program will adapt the best practices derived from a 2002 report to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Report on Best Practices for Responsible Retailing, to the needs and circumstances of alcohol package stores, restaurants and taverns. This project will enable the Responsible Retailing Forum to provide assistance to these alcohol beverage licensees in reducing underage sales of alcohol products and over-service of alcohol to intoxicated customers.