Scots plan to stop cheap alcohol

[muriel_volestrangler]

Measures to tackle alcohol abuse by stopping cut-price offers have been outlined by the Scottish Government.

It has proposed a range of measures including the radical step of a minimum price per unit. It would be the first country in Europe to take the step.

The minority government said it also plans to ban discount deals on alcohol.

SNP ministers backed down from raising the age buying drink from off-sales to 21 - but will create powers for that to be imposed on a local basis.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7917824.stm

Thoughts? The minimum price they've suggested is 40p per unit (ie 10ml of pure alcohol); that works out at £4.22 for a 6x440ml pack of 4.4% lager; or £3.90 for a 13% bottle of wine. That latter price is a little more than I often pay for wine, so I'm obviously a cheapskate.

Since this would be more than the current prices for the cheap end of the market, would it then push up prices in that and the slightly more upscale prices too? And who would get the extra profit? I'd worry that the supermarkets would demand wholesale prices kept low, so they'd get profit; and the breweries/other producers would try to make it up by making their prices higher for smaller retailers.

Would an increase in alcohol duty be a more equitable way of achieving this - and getting the money into government pockets, rather than big business?

[Albus]

1. Why do the Scottish government want to stop people drinking?

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. because ...

[Albus]

3. So 999,974 people out of 100,000 do not die of booze in Scotland

but they must all be made to pay more because of the 26 that do?

How does that number compare with deaths from infections caught in Scottish hospitals I wonder?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6290094.stm

I think gummints should put their own houses in order before they try to change peoples habits though regulation &/or taxation.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

4. It would be interesting to see the outcome

I wonder if more Scots will be seen buying their goods down in Cumbria and Northumberland.

"Would an increase in alcohol duty be a more equitable way of achieving this - and getting the money into government pockets, rather than big business?"

Does the Scottish Government have powers for indirect taxation? That would be an interesting way of raising revenue for spending north of the border.

[Albus]

5. I dare say the off licences in Berwick-upon-Tweed will be stocking up

[fedsron2us]

6. Raising the minimum price at the bottom end

is an attack on poorer boozers. It will make no difference to affluent drinkers.

As I have said before on this issue the best way to tackle the issue is to increase the alcohol duty and encourage brewers and distillers to weaken their product. One of the things I have notice in the past 30 year is how much stronger ordinary wines and spirits have become. In the past beer would often be less than 4% and wine not much more than 11%. Now the figure is nearer 5% and 13%.