Minimum alcohol price planned for England and Wales - multi-buy deals banned too
83 replies, posted
[B]The government is proposing a minimum price of 40p per unit of alcohol in England and Wales in an effort to "turn the tide" against binge drinking.
[/B]It believes this could[B] transform the behaviour[/B] of those who cause the most problems for hospitals and police.A new [URL="http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/alcohol-drugs/alcohol/alcohol-strategy?view=Binary"]alcohol strategy[/URL] also aims to help local areas tackle problems and work with the drinks industry to encourage responsible drinking.
The industry said a minimum price was misguided and[B] would hit consumers hard[/B].Similar proposals are already being considered by the Scottish Parliament.
Under the minimum price proposal, such as at the suggested 40p level, it would act as a floor and [B]retailers would not be allowed to offer alcohol cheaper than that[/B].[B]
While most prices would be unaffected, it could significantly alter the price of heavily-discounted ciders, super-strength lager and cheap spirits.
[/B]The impact could include:
- A £2.99 bottle of red wine, containing 9.4 units of alcohol, would be priced up to £3.76
- Cheap, strong lager at 75p a can, with three units per can, would become at least £1.20
- Bulk-bought strong cider, costing 87p a can and containing four units, would almost double to at least £1.60
- Cheap supermarket whisky at £16.10, with 40 units of alcohol, would probably be unchanged in price
[B]A proposed ban on multi-buy offers would affect top-end promotions, such as a percentage discount on a half-case of wine, as well as the likes of buy-one-get-one-free budget deals.[/B]
The alcohol strategy also seeks to give local agencies an "extensive range of tools and powers" to tackle problem drinkers and premises, such as by restricting opening hours and density of licensed premises.
It also plans to "end the notion that[B] drinking is an unqualified right[/B] by piloting sobriety schemes for those people whose offending is linked to excessive alcohol consumption", says the strategy document.
Plans are outlined to work with the drinks industry on "changing the drinking culture, from one of excess to one of responsibility; and from one where alcohol is linked to bad behaviour to one where it is linked to positive 'socialising'".
Prime Minister David Cameron said the government wanted to turn around a drinking culture that last year had contributed to one million alcohol-related violent crimes and 1.2 million hospital admissions.
Mr Cameron said: "[B]Binge drinking isn't some fringe issue[/B], it accounts for half of all alcohol consumed in this country. The crime and violence it causes drains resources in our hospitals, generates mayhem on our streets and[B] spreads fear[/B] in our communities.
He added: "We're consulting on the actual price, but if it is 40p[B] that could mean 50,000 fewer crimes each year and 900 fewer alcohol related deaths per year[/B] by the end of the decade."
Home Secretary Theresa May said that just under the cheapest fifth of all alcohol sold would be affected by introducing a 40p minimum.
"[B]Too many people think it's a great night out to get really drunk and have a fight in our streets,[/B]" she told BBC Breakfast.
Chief Constable Jon Stoddart, the lead on alcohol for the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "Week in, week out, in town centres across the country, the police have to deal with the consequences of cheap alcohol and irresponsible drinking.
"[B]The growing trend for 'pre-loading' means that young people are often drunk before they even enter a bar.[/B]
"By the time they hit the streets at closing they are more likely to get involved in crime and disorder or injure themselves or others."
[IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59262000/gif/_59262473_alcohol_pricing_464in.gif[/IMG]
[URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17482035[/URL]
This is fine except it only affects shop bought alcohol, so will make no difference to alcohol bought in bars and clubs as they're already too expensive. This only affects people drinking in their own home, which is why Labour rejected the idea
And this will change nothing.
I don't have an issue with this, although not too sure about ending multibuy or BOGOF offers on all booze. Mainly this seems to be targeting things like White Lightning and cheap-ass shitty vodka, which people don't buy for taste, they buy it because it gets you really drunk for a pittance
Time to do more ILLEGAL DRUGS then I suppose. If you wanna be crunk it don't pay to get drunk ~
It's not going to make people drink less, it's going to make them spend more money and possibly try homebrewing.
This will only affect the most vulnerable people; poor alcoholics.
The ones who are buying cheap super strength muck.
Congrats government, it's still absurdly cheap to get drunk in a nightclub, and you can still buy cut price cocaine for less than a bottle of vodka.
[quote]"that could mean 50,000 fewer crimes each year and 900 fewer alcohol related deaths per year[/quote]
Oh yeah, unless you count the increase in homebrew and moonshine which'll skyrocket, and the fewer jobs from the squeeze on the cider industry.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;35260234]Congrats government, it's still absurdly cheap to get drunk in a nightclub, and you can still buy cut price cocaine for less than a bottle of vodka.[/QUOTE]
Must be pretty shit coke. Coke is like £40-50 a gram and even then it's not normally that good.
[quote]It also plans to "end the notion that drinking is an unqualified right by piloting sobriety schemes for those people whose offending is linked to excessive alcohol consumption", says the strategy document.[/quote]
Like that's going to be enforcable on a large scale.
[QUOTE=Doozle;35260245]Must be pretty shit coke. Coke is like £40-50 a gram and even then it's not normally that good.[/QUOTE]
It's £10, what do you expect? :v:
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;35260234]Congrats government, it's still absurdly cheap to get drunk in a nightclub, and you can still buy cut price cocaine for less than a bottle of vodka.
Oh yeah, unless you count the increase in homebrew and moonshine which'll skyrocket, and the fewer jobs from the squeeze on the cider industry.[/QUOTE]
They said on the radio a while ago that a night out on cocaine in my city was cheaper than a night out on alcohol
Honestly with kids drinking themselves to death i can see why they would come up with something like this.
Wonder how much it'll go up by for customers anyway, a 1L morgans is like what, £25 at tesco?
[QUOTE=kenji;35260711]Wonder how much it'll go up by for customers anyway, a 1L morgans is like what, £25 at tesco?[/QUOTE]
It will only really affect the very cheap, such as this: [url]http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=268607379[/url] will go from £1.95 to £4
Won't this effect pubs, many of which have closed down already due to prices?
[QUOTE=Lukeo;35260764]Won't this effect pubs, many of which have closed down already due to prices?[/QUOTE]
Unlikely as most of the prices are high enough to avoid it, although it could affect night clubs
[QUOTE=sami-pso;35260697]Honestly with kids drinking themselves to death i can see why they would come up with something like this.[/QUOTE]
What kids drinking themselves to death? You sound like a Daily Mail columnist.
Drinking culture hasn't really changed. People have always gone out and got bladdered. You see all these pictures in the paper of pissed people in the street. My mum insists that it's not different from when she was younger (she's in her 50s btw) she said you'd always get the same scenes and there would always be violent fights but there was no photographers there.
People have been saying everything is going to the dogs then why aren't we there yet?
This is kind of pointless. It's only going to affect the lower classes. And where's the money going?
Meanwhile in Scotland...
[IMG]http://aphs.worldnomads.com/safetyhub/28559/nedGal36.jpg[/IMG]
[QUOTE=a dumb bear;35261470]This is kind of pointless. It's only going to affect the lower classes. And where's the money going?[/QUOTE]
It's a minimum price not a tax, so to the supermarkets
First the sausage rolls and now this. If they start blocking internet pornography life as I know it is over.
have to pass to pcp now I guess
Where the fuck are people going to find the extra 50p for a can of beer?!
This won't stop people binge drinking, people will find the money from elsewhere and it won't solve a problem. This is just another inconvenience for the majority bought on by a minorty.
Homebrew ftw, £8 for 40 pints worth of ingredients, suck it government.
For all the posts consisting of "Stick it to them, won't affect nuffin, " etc..
Yes it will affect things. There is a serious issue with people drinking at home, specifically people living on benefits drinking at home. I've seen three people forced to work because they live on benefits, for a few weeks, and they are entirely disgusting people that spend their time drinking lager at home.
[QUOTE]This is kind of pointless. It's only going to affect the lower classes. And where's the money going?[/QUOTE]
I think if lower class people have an issue with buying alcohol then they should stop buying it, get some more money coming in, and then enjoy alcohol.
Why is this difficult to grasp? People shouldn't be comfortable living on almost no money whilst drinking.
[QUOTE]This won't stop people binge drinking, people will find the money from elsewhere and it won't solve a problem. This is just another inconvenience for the majority bought on by a minorty.[/QUOTE]
So picture this: you have a minimum wage job or no job, living on benefits. You have barely any money after bills and food; so tell me where you're going to find money to buy a 4 pack of lager £5.56.
It isn't going to happen.
[QUOTE=AngryChairR;35262286]For all the posts consisting of "Stick it to them, won't affect nuffin, " etc..
Yes it will affect things. There is a serious issue with people drinking at home, specifically people living on benefits drinking at home. I've seen three people forced to work because they live on benefits, for a few weeks, and they are entirely disgusting people that spend their time drinking lager at home.
I think if lower class people have an issue with buying alcohol then they should stop buying it, get some more money coming in, and then enjoy alcohol.
Why is this difficult to grasp? People shouldn't be comfortable living on almost no money whilst drinking.
So picture this: you have a minimum wage job or no job, living on benefits. You have barely any money after bills and food; so tell me where you're going to find money to buy a 4 pack of lager £5.56.
It isn't going to happen.[/QUOTE]
fix the benefits system don't raise the price for everyone else
oh wait you're angrychair lol
[QUOTE=TheHydra;35262339]fix the benefits system don't raise the price for everyone else
oh wait you're angrychair lol[/QUOTE]
Poor people should drink less, I agree with him.
People I know here in Ireland are terrified it's going to happen here, it's been suggested a few times. If they touch the price of a naggin, I'm going to lose all hope in my country's government.
[QUOTE=AngryChairR;35262286]For all the posts consisting of "Stick it to them, won't affect nuffin, " etc..
Yes it will affect things. There is a serious issue with people drinking at home, specifically people living on benefits drinking at home. I've seen three people forced to work because they live on benefits, for a few weeks, and they are entirely disgusting people that spend their time drinking lager at home.
I think if lower class people have an issue with buying alcohol then they should stop buying it, get some more money coming in, and then enjoy alcohol.
Why is this difficult to grasp? People shouldn't be comfortable living on almost no money whilst drinking.
So picture this: you have a minimum wage job or no job, living on benefits. You have barely any money after bills and food; so tell me where you're going to find money to buy a 4 pack of lager £5.56.
It isn't going to happen.[/QUOTE]
So I assume in AngryChair's UK, the lower classes will eat potatoes and water every day and never engage in any recreational activity because they [I]might[/I] be using some money from benefits to do it?
A gram of good meph for £15 and you're sorted for the night.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.