Pub Trade News; UK Government Combating Cheap Supermarket Alcohol Problems

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) January 18, 2012 -- The Government has introduced a ban on the sale of alcohol for less than cost price, which will come into force in England and Wales in April 2012.

The cross party consensus is that cut-price supermarket booze is a public order issue, is damaging to the nation’s collective health, and is also to the UK Pub Industry; Pubs are closing down of 6 pubs a week because they cannot hope to match the prices charged by supermarkets.

MP’s from all parties have demanded the end to the sale of cheap alcohol not only for the health of the nation, but also for the long term stability of their constituencies; they recognise that local pubs are often the de facto community centres for neighbourhoods and that low cost booze is the fuel for ‘wild west scenes’ in many town centres, every weekend.

Last year the Prime Minister had backed plans by ten councils in the North West to create a by-law making it illegal to sell alcohol for less than 50p a unit. However, the legislation proposed is for a lower minimum price of about 21p per unit of beer and 28p per unit of spirits.

Researchers at Sheffield University estimated last year that raising the price of alcohol to a minimum of 50p per unit would mean that after a decade there would be almost 3,000 fewer deaths every year and 41,000 fewer cases of chronic illness. However, a spokesman for Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said he had been reluctant to consider a minimum price per unit because it could be open to legal challenges relating to European competition law.

Opponents of a minimum unit price say it is unfair because it penalises all drinkers, not just those who cause or have problems.

Professor Ian Gilmore, of the Royal College of Physicians, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's a step in the right direction but I have to say, it's an extremely small step. It will have no impact whatsoever on the vast majority of cheap drinks sold in supermarkets."

As for the UK Pub Industry view, Paramount Investments spokesperson Steve Oliver said “The ban on low cost alcohol may just be a blessing in disguise to kick-start the pub industry in 2012. Even if the effects are only psychological and people get the message that supermarket booze is no longer that cheap, it will be better than nothing.”

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