Minimum alcohol pricing: Supermarkets accused of bending new law banning cheap alcohol
MSPs and supermarket chiefs are at loggerheads over the implementation of minimum alcohol pricing
SUPERMARKET bosses have come under fire for failing to end cut-price alcohol deals in Scotland, despite the introduction of laws aimed at cracking down on the issue.
Many retailers are findings ways round the Alcohol Act which came into force towards the end of last year, MSPs said yesterday.
They accused supermarkets of undermining the spirit of the legislation, which aimed to stop “irresponsible” promotions such as two-for-one deals and volume discounts on wine.
Labour health spokesman Richard Simpson said: “We may not have written the legislation correctly … I think we failed to understand fully when we passed that bill that it would not end volume discounting.
“The spirit of the law was quite clear, that we wanted to ban discounting for volume, and yet the supermarkets particularly and also the small stores are still selling on a volume-discounting basis.”
Instead of wine being sold at three bottles for £10, some bottles are now retailing instead for £3.33, MSPs on the health committee heard.
David Paterson, head of regional affairs at supermarket chain Asda, said: “The clear intention of the quantity discount ban was to reduce any incentive for a customer to buy a larger amount of alcohol than they had intended to. That was the clear and unequivocal objective.
“We made it very clear, particularly in the last Alcohol Bill, that when you intervene in a market which is part of a wider UK single market, there are a number of unintended consequences and they cannot be wished away.
“It seems a bizarre situation to me that there are companies based solely in England that can continue to sell alcohol at whatever price they want, but that in some sense companies that are in Scotland and invest here shouldn’t also be able to do that.
“There has to be a level playing field.”
Nationalist backbencher Jim Eadie said the supermarkets had been accused of “undermining the spirit of the legislation” by “slashing prices and encouraging online purchasing”.
He said: “It does leave the impression with the wider health community in Scotland who are focused on what is the biggest public health challenge facing this country, that companies are putting their profits before the health of the people of Scotland.”
MSPs were taking evidence on the Scottish Government’s plans to introduce a minimum price for alcohol.
Emma Reynolds, government affairs director for Tesco, said: “In a competitive market, if you do want action on price, it needs to be through legislation because we are in the business of competing for the best possible offers for customers.
“That is why we have said we’ll be constructive in government-led discussions on price.”
Mr Paterson said that minimum pricing legislation, along with other measures, would make Scotland “one of the most restrictive alcohol retailing regimes in the world”.
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Comments
There are 54 comments to this article
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Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 02:12 PMI could order slabs of 24 cans of quality beer directly from the brewer's online warehouse for less than £1.30 a can if I wish to. Does that mean that I am tempted to try to see it all off in one go? Of course not. It's known as "saving money by buying in bulk". what is the difference between doing that and buying 8 cans instead of 4 from a supermarket when by buying 8 at a time, I am getting the each can cheaper? This new law is totally ludicrous and ought to be scr@pped now before any more damage is done to Scotland's society, not to mention general respect for the law.
Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head
Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 02:05 PM“The clear intention of the quantity discount ban was to reduce any incentive for a customer to buy a larger amount of alcohol than they had intended to. That was the clear and unequivocal objective." In which case it is a stupid nanny state law which takes no account of our ability to make our own minds up and take responsibility for our own actions. In any case, buying drink is not the problem. The problem (if indeed one exists, which on a large scale it clearly does not) is the excessive, reckless and irresponsible consumption of the drink. Why should ordinary, responsible people be denied a bargain price on drink because of a tiny minority of irresponsible idiots? This whole anti-drink war is misguideded, wrong and an insult to the intelligence. Politicians should concentrate on running the country and stop interfering in our personal lives.
Canton-eze
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 06:48 PMForgot to add at #51 ... that strategically placed saltire in the photo, plus the word "Scotland" for emphasis, was obviously another "accidentally" subliminal anti-SNP coincidence, wasn't it, JP propagandists? Aye, the wonders of psychology.
Canton-eze
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 06:40 PM#10 Bog off. She's our au pair from Latvia, via Burkina Faso, psychedelic wellies and all. Alastair #7 has it right. These "offers" are nothing more than a marketing rip-off, a classic psychological con trick. Most thinking people dislike being exhorted into buying what they don't want or need, because of the implication that a bargain is in the offing, and that they will lose out by not scooping up that magnanimous giveaway. Supermarkets have been using this ploy since supermarkets came into being. If people want to fall for it then it's their choice. Stupidity, really. And talking of stupidity, Linskaill, everywhere below and beyond planet Earth, STF up your double- boring, double-posting Tesco-tax, Scottish Government guff etc., and give humanity a bit of peace. Sorry, A. Bit. Of. Peace. Caps-lock off now.
Kobi
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 12:22 PM#38 Unlawful under EU law, just like the SNP's plans.
Kobi
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 12:21 PM#37 Nothing to do with the arrogance of Asda, but rather the arrogance of those health fascists who believed that all they had to do was wish for something and everyone would jump accordingly. If they are so incompetent that they cannot even draft legislation to achieve the objective they wanted, but still expect people to comply anyway, then it is them that are showing breath-taking arrogance.
Kobi
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 12:18 PM#3 "I think Holyrood will not put up with the supermarkets avoidance of the law so easily." There is no such thing as avoidance of the law. Either something is legal or it is not. If the legislation has not had the effect that its promoters wished it to have, despite them being told at the time that that was going to be the case, then all that shows is that its promoters are incompetent idiots.
kilrenny
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 08:26 AMmy son is at university. you only have to see the carnage caused by alcohol induced stupidity to know educatio alone does not work. students getting drunk in numbers not only at weekends but during the week. we are all picking up the tab. latest estimate puts it at around £950 per head to pay the costs of incidents and treatment. just watched telly re cost of looking after elderly. well, if selfish people did not abusae themselves and others we may be able to pay the costs of this and other treatments people need for cancer etc. of course excess alcohol causes disease so if the nanny state is not wanted then nanny state should notbe asked to foot the bill. or is it the case selfish people want to do what they want and ask others to stump up. we have eg traffic laws to stop people injuring and killing themselves and others. why not laws governing alcohol pricing to stop the same thing. big business is always the same be it tobacco or drinks. they will try and get around laws because they need stupid people to keep injuring themselves to make money
Newferryman
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 11:46 PMYeh Yeh heard it all before. Just carry on as normal folkes. Let the NHS pick up the pieces.
Scottish Neo Prohibitionist SNP activist
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 11:41 PMI and most others not of the chattering class, want the SNP to put as much effort into creating jobs, reducing unemployment and crime as they put into their non-stop anti cigarette and alcohol legalisation. Enough of this puritanism …How about doing something the majority want
Leith Heights
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 11:18 PMAll good things in moderation, and we our meant to live in a democratic society. However the SNP government are attempting to put a limitation on how we enjoy our lives. Is it not better to educate the people who abuse the 'drink'.
Horrid Henrietta
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 10:11 PMWhether for or against this legislation, I would like to ask what is taking the administration so long to implement it? Scared in case it's a vote loser?
Charles Linskaill
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 10:06 PMQuite Frankly Minimum Pricing of Alcohol wont make an iota of difference to those who abuse alcohol, 'Frank the Tramp' will put his hand out for ten minutes more, and 'Beg' "Any-Spare-Change-Please", and laugh his head off at the Scottish Government,,as he runs to the supermarket to purchase usual overdose of alcohol, And 'Suzie the Teen, will smile at a few more boys, who will purchase her alcohol to get her in her usual state of drunkenness, While Poor old us!, Will be Crucified by our Scottish Government for behaving ourselves, Call this Fair?, I call it Utterly Diabolical!!
Irritatingly Intelligent Chauvinist
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 09:52 PMI don't believe there should be a minimum price for anything.
CheesyQ
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 09:18 PM38 samcoldstream, you idiot! That law has been passed and comes into force on the 6th of April. The minimum pricing issue is to be looked at since the BMA's paper in November recommending 50p per unit.
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