ALMOST three quarters of Scots do not know the correct unit content of beers, wines and spirits, research suggests.

Just over a third (36 per cent) of those surveyed correctly identified there are two units in a pint of beer with 4% alcohol and 29 per cent knew there were two units in a medium (175ml) glass of wine, with 13 per cent proof.

Less than 20 per cent correctly identified the one-unit content of a single measure of 40 per cent spirits. The research was released to highlight the Count 14 campaign, which is encouraging the public to drink sensibly.

Alcohol guidelines, based on scientific evidence, highlight that men and women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week to keep the risk of developing conditions such as mouth, throat and breast cancer low.

Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood said: “”With insight pointing towards unit confusion amongst Scots, we’re keen to reinforce what 14 units looks like in terms of alcoholic drinks.

“The 14 unit guideline equates to six pints of medium strength beer, lager or cider; seven double measures of spirits or six medium glasses of wine over the course of a week.”