Minimum pricing of a unit of alcohol… will they wont they?
Minimum pricing of a unit of alcohol…….Will they wont they?
Latest indications suggest that Labour will not make this a policy commitment in the forthcoming election, this despite the Health Secretary Andy Burnham wanting the policy to be a central plank of the forthcoming Labour Party manifesto.
I take the view that a ban on below-cost selling, not minimum pricing, is the best way to tackle alcohol-related problems.
Whilst I defend the free market principle it cannot be right that a supermarket can sell alcohol at much lower prices than a pub licence can even buy the same product at. There is clear evidence that “pre-loading” prior to a pub visit is harming the pub industry and giving publicans a headache when “already intoxicated” punters turn up for the last hour of business!, Pubs should be part of the solution not be seen as part of the problem.
Interesting ; watch this space
