A safer British pint glass is being developed by designers in a bid to crack the big problem of "glassings". On behalf of the Design and Technology Alliance Against Crime, the Design Council has appointed a team of specialist designers to draw up an alternative pint glass to reduce the number of injuries from the 87,000 violent incidents involving glassware each year, which costs an estimated £100,000,000 in National Health Service, police and court costs annually.
The appointed designers, Design Bridge, will produce a range of safe pint glasses prototypes, which will be unveiled in December this year. The challenge is to not only to develop a safe
pint glass, but to make sure they are attractive to industry, manufacturers and consumers. Working closely with producers and the drinks trade, the designers will look to create a number of options, which could be adopted by pub and club owners.
The project is part of the "Design Out Crime" initiative from the Home Office's Design and Technology Alliance Against Crime and the Design Council. The design council are a collection of experts from the world of design, industry and law enforcement whose job is to bring about innovation and encourage others to "think crime" at the beginning of product development.
Design Out Crime work on developing solutions to a wide range of crime-related issues, particularly those which affect young people by developing design-led approaches to minimise the harm from alcohol related crime (assaults in pubs and clubs), in Schools (reducing bullying, fighting and petty theft), with new products utilising innovations in technology, services and product design which help make personal electronics more crime-proof and in business by minimising retail theft.
The Professor of Design, Royal College of the Arts and Alliance member said: "Alcohol related crime takes up valuable police and NHS resources and causes unnecessary misery to thousands of people. The outcomes of the Design Out Crime project have the potential to not only reduce alcohol related violence in the UK but to also help make our communities safer places".
Nick Verebelyi of the Design Bridge said: "Our challenge is to build upon research the Design Council have established to develop creative solutions that increase safety by reducing the opportunity for the vessel to be used as a weapon, whilst taking account of operational challenges, and providing opportunities for enhanced consumer appeal and brand image".
Alan Campbell, Home Office Minister said: "Innovative design has played an important role in driving down overall crime by a third since 1997 tackling a range of crimes including theft, fraud and burglary with innovative and practical solutions to real problems. This project will see those same skills applied to the dangerous and costly issue of alcohol-related crime and I am confident that it will lead to similar successes"(1).
Prior to the next generation pint glass brief was created, Innovation RCA researched the "glassing" problem and to identify possible solutions areas in designing safer pint glasses. The research was given to some of the United Kingdoms top product designers, scientists, branding experts and industry marketers. These teams met with major brewers, PR agencies, pub chain operators and trade organisations to understand their concerns.
There were also interviews with law enforcement agencies, surgeons and victims of alcohol violence, while pub staff and customers were recorded speaking about their experience of drinking from real pint glasses versus
plastic pint glasses.
The insights gained into alcohol related violence were complemented by testing of standard
polycarbonate plastic tumblers by the Materials and Design Exchange (MADE).
The findings were used to create the "Next Generation Pint Glass" brief to the design council, providing them with the essential background knowledge to develop real innovative solutions to address alcohol related violence in the UK.
References:
1. Turney, Ewan. Search on for safer pub pint glass (2009).
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