Scotland toughens alcohol laws

laresSat 01/10/11 09:38

"New laws have come into force banning "irresponsible" drinks promotions by retailers in Scotland. Shops and supermarkets can no longer make offers such as buy-one-get-one-free and multi-buy discounts on wine. The Alcohol Bill also restricts alcohol advertising around premises, and brings in age verification requirements and a new tax on some licence holders.

Tesco has told customers they will still get wine offers online because it will dispatch orders from England. The bill, passed at Holyrood last year, prevents retailers from offer deals to customers who buy in bulk.

The tax, called a social responsibility levy, aims to ensure retailers and licensed premises, such as nightclubs, contribute to the wider cost of their activities on the community. MSPs have warned that other retailers may remove discounts for quantity but may instead sell single bottles of alcohol for the same discount price.

Instead of three bottles of wine for £10 they may sell one bottle for £3.33. But Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon insisted the ban on multi-buy deals would cut alcohol consumption.

She said: "I have had it put to me that supermarkets will reduce the cost of a bottle of wine as a response to this. "Now minimum pricing of course would have an effect there and we intend to bring back our bill on that.

"But if somebody is going to buy one bottle of wine, as they intended to do when they went into the supermarket, instead of three bottles, that they are tempted to buy because it is on offer, then that is helping us reduce alcohol over-consumption.""

http://1sq.me/pOZXQ6

maguaSat 01/10/11 10:58

Good.

laresSat 01/10/11 11:01

quoting > "Good.
"

I have very mixed feelings.

I don't abuse alcohol (well, in a medical sesnse I probably do but not in a drunk-in-the-gutter sort of a way), so I don't want to have to pay more for the alcohol I drink.

On the other hand, I only ever by alcohol in pubs which are already far higher priced tha supermarket "normal rates", and I do admit there's a direct connection between price and over use.

maguaSat 01/10/11 11:07

so I don't want to have to pay more for the alcohol I drink.

thats part of living in a society ;)

On the other hand, I only ever by alcohol in pubs which are already far higher priced tha supermarket "normal rates", and I do admit there's a direct connection between price and over use.

I'm all for 24 hour drinking, though if i had my way you'd only be able to get alcohol in pubs, cafés, restaurants and special off licences.

laresSat 01/10/11 11:24

quoting > "you'd only be able to get alcohol in pubs, cafés, restaurants and special off licences."

Hmm... we could make everyone that wants to sell alcohol apply for a special "licence" and we could have local authorities "licence" these places. I bet nobody has ever thought of anything like that before!