Scotlands cut-price alcohol ban comes into force

Mon, 03 Oct 2011
 
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Supermarkets, shops and other drinks retailers in Scotland have been banned from using "irresponsible" drinks promotions following the introduction of new legislation.

The Alcohol Scotland Act rules that shops and supermarkets can no longer offer customers deals such as buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) and multi-buy discounts on wine .

It also restricts alcohol advertising around premises, and brings in age verification checks and a new tax on some licence holders.

MPs have warned that supermarkets may get around the ban by simply cutting the price of a single bottle of alcohol . For example, instead of selling three bottles of wine for £10, they may lower the price of one bottle to £3.33.

However, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the new law would be successful in achieving its main goal of reducing alcohol consumption in Scotland.

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."

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