Asda has warned it could take advantage of Scottish National Party (SNP) plans to crack down on cut price alcohol sales by selling heavily discounted drink online .
The Wal-Mart owned retailer claimed there is “nothing to stop” supermarkets building distribution centres in England and making alcohol deliveries direct to homes north of the border.
The grocer said such a move is inevitable if SNP ministers are successful in denying Scottish shoppers cheap deals available in England .
Asda is the first of the big four supermarket chains to hit out over the SNP plans, which were announced two weeks ago. Ministers hope to introduce a new range of measures, which include increasing the drinking age in off-sales to 21 and also setting a minimum price on all alcohol sold in Scotland .
Rob Chester, Asda’s head of licensing, commented: “There is nothing to stop companies expanding their home shopping network or opening depots just south of the border and delivering to homes in Scotland .”
Paul Kelly, corporate affairs director at Asda, added: “These plans could create two classes of customer – one who is reliant on the local supermarket because he uses cash and one who’ll get deals over the internet .”
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