Alcohol confusion

Your report on the failure of the ban on multi-buy promotions to reduce the amount of alcohol being bought in Scotland highlights (27 November) a worrying confusion at the heart of Scottish Government policy.

We were assured that the much-trumpeted ban on these promotions would have a real and noticeable impact not only on the sale but also on the consumption of alcohol. Clearly it has not worked.

The failure of one ineffective policy only seems to be used as the justification for the implementation of another, such as minimum unit pricing.

Rather than continually resorting to often badly thought out legislation – there have been three major alcohol-related Acts since 2005 and another is planned for 2014 – the Scottish Government and the alcohol campaigning groups should recognise and support the innovative work of locally based and targeted initiatives such as Community Alcohol Partnerships.

John Lee

Public affairs adviser

Scottish Grocers’
Federation

Queensferry Road

Edinburgh