Minimum price for alcohol.

[Tugger2k]

I'm pretty sure that under European Law price fixing is illegal so unless this comes in the form of tax it can't be done. I notice that Tescos are backing this big time, of course it's not massive increase in profit from one of their revenue streams that they are interested in but the health of their customers.

Raising the price of alcohol simply doesn't work one only needs to work at the Scandanavian countries to see that. The result of this will be more smuggling from the continent and more cash in the hands of organised criminals.

The only potential benefit of this is that more people drink in the pub rather than sat in front of the TV.

[Cheshire Cat]

Suggesting that alcohol results in poor families is stereotyping to a large degree. This is not the case at all for the vast majority of poorer families.

However, let's take your view of the working class on board, you have higher prices, how much money will be left therefore for heating, food, etc? Less than before. As has been said, it's not going to stop people drinking more.

It's a horrible idea. Pump money into the roots of the problem, put money into helping those with alcohol dependencies. Don't pump money into PR campaigns to tell people why it's better that Tesco get more money everytime you buy a few cans of lager for the weekend.

[st00ka]

i agree that it wont stop the hardcore drinkers

Edited June 4, 2010 by st00ka

[Tugger2k]

It won't stop anyone. More expensive alcohol just means more people brewing their own. In Finland everyone (and I mean everyone) has their own still for making foul moonshine.

Maybe but I fear that this legislation has nothing to do with helping the pub trade and it is further intrusion into mine and other peoples lives by puritans who have nothing better to worry about than the moral behaviours of everyone other than themselves.

[st00ka]

this legislation will have to come from the government and in particular the treasury will have to enforce it.

i think thats the 1st time ive heard George 'hookers, champagne and charlie are a good friday night' Osbourne described as a puritan!!

Edited June 4, 2010 by st00ka

[Billy09]

This legislation was being talked about prior to the current government being elected and is being lobbied for by groups such as Alcohol Concern, Alliance House Foundation and the Institute of Alcohol Studies all of which who have roots in the Temperance Movement, the British Council of Muslims have also lobbied the goverment for anti-alcohol legislation in the UK. These people are puritans.

[llcoolphil]

You lose your job, how should your priorities be based. Food, heating rent?? or is is it beer first??

[omskus]

I'm not trolling here but I genuinely think this may be worth a go. Maybe a two year trial here in Scotland. Scotland has a hardcore drinking culture and it'd be interesting to see it curbed. I'm not thinking everyone will cut down but the smoking ban ensured a sizeable number quit.

[llcoolphil]

I'm not trolling here but I genuinely think this may be worth a go. Maybe a two year trial here in Scotland. Scotland has a hardcore drinking culture and it'd be interesting to see it curbed. I'm not thinking everyone will cut down but the smoking ban ensured a sizeable number quit.

Edited June 4, 2010 by llcoolphil

[omskus]

What role is it of the state to say what should and shou;ldn't go in my body? Why should they try and coerce me into behaving in a certain way? I know its not healthy - but I enjoy excessive drinking at times. What is wrong with that?

[amaidment]

No the price of quality stuff will stay the same. It just means that white cider will cost you a few quid more.

[rexclark]

I'm not trolling here but I genuinely think this may be worth a go. Maybe a two year trial here in Scotland. Scotland has a hardcore drinking culture and it'd be interesting to see it curbed. I'm not thinking everyone will cut down but the smoking ban ensured a sizeable number quit.

[Billy09]

Its the people that are a burden on the state this is aimed at. There are lots of them. Its a parallel to the smoking ban - that seems to have been positive.

[llcoolphil]

Its the people that are a burden on the state this is aimed at. There are lots of them. Its a parallel to the smoking ban - that seems to have been positive.

[lost]

Something needs to be done but I don’t think price fixing is the answer, You look at the city centre pubs and they are like a production line, loud music so people can’t have a conversation and all the tables and chairs removed so you’ve nowhere to put your drink, its in down your drink as quickly as possible and then onto the next one, loads of the traditional pubs are going to the wall and the ones that replace them are setting people up for a life of that style of drinking. We need to change the culture back to one of social drinking, having a conversation, watching the world go by and putting the world right with your mates. We need to break up the pubco / brewery cartel and open up pubs to the free market, let them shop around for their booze, for a start bring back the guest ale concept that labour got rid of, there are some great local breweries out there. If pubs were making a decent profit on each drink they might not be trying to shovel as much beer down everyone’s necks as humanly possible to break even.

[llcoolphil]

Something needs to be done

[llcoolphil]

You look at the city centre pubs and they are like a production line, loud music so people can’t have a conversation and all the tables and chairs removed so you’ve nowhere to put your drink, its in down your drink as quickly as possible and then onto the next one,

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Nope, it'll mean the quality stuff goes up too as shops will be able to charge more. After all, what would you choose if a minimum price was set:

cheapo vodka at minimum price (£14)

or

branded vodka at £14 (since most bottles are around that price, if not slightly lower)

cheap, strong lager/cider at minimum price (£2+)

or

brothers festie strength cider/quality beer/good scrumpy at £2 ish

Of course, you'll choose the better quality stuff at a similar price. So if they're forced to sell the cheapo stuff at a minimum price, you can be sure they'll charge a premium on the good stuff. That'll have to mean an increase in prices.

[lost]

Why? Authorities of various kinds have been saying this for over 500 years. Country Fairs were banned in the middle ages because of 'alcohol problems'. Hogarth painted Gin Lane in the middle of the 18th century (ish cant be arsed to check)that illiustrated the perils of drinking. Pre Industrial revolution, workers used to choose when they would work and when they would get pissed. This is all about government trying to coerce citizens into behaving in a way that protects the status quo.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

Its not comparable to the smoking "ban". Fags weren't banned, using them in such a way that impacted on workers was banned.

This is an attempt to price out certain alcohol abusers, and thus stop them abusing. It will be totally ineffective in that regard.

Set alcohol tax (duty) at a level that covers the cost of harm by all means, but don't vindictively decide that one's impact on society can be determined by your choice of booze when you do your grocery shopping.

[llcoolphil]

but I believe that harm will be reduced if someone can't drink themselves insensate every night for around £6 (maybe £9).

[dakyras]

I was planning on giving up drink anyhow. Jolly good.

[llcoolphil]

I dont think anyones saying there wont be any problem drinking and ive absolutely no issue with anyone drinking themselves to death, everyone knows the parts of town to go to get pissed and the parts for socialable drinking or live music, the problem im seeing at least is the latter are slowly disapearing.

There was a major change to the alchohol/pub regulation post Leah Betts which I read a fantastic article on recently. The alchohol industry was given carte blanche by the government to make alcohol "cool" again to youngsters which resulted in these drinking factories springing up in town centres, alcho pops and the mid-Nineties lad /ladette culture. This is my generation and maybe house prices are also partly the blame which means alot more haven't settled down but more than I would expect of them rather than looking at past generations seem "stuck" in the drinking to excess stage rather than moving onto the drinking for enjoyment stage, many have moved onto doing at home on the back of the smoking ban but we do have the first generation some of whom have only known the big town centre chains way of selling alchohol, I could be worrying over nothing and I maybe am being a little selfish as Ive always been a social drinker and I'm running out of decent pubs but I think we may have a massive problem in 10 -20 years.

[llcoolphil]

I was planning on giving up drink anyhow. Jolly good.

[dakyras]

Really?