PM backing alcohol minimum pricing..

[Captain...]

Following through with that logic then, should we impose food rations on everyone because a few people don't have the necessary self control to avoid becoming obese? We could really help fat people slim down simply by ensuring that absolutely no-one is ever allowed more than four slices of bread, three pieces of fruit and two fish each day.

How far are you willing to restrict the freedoms of the many to protect the few from themselves?

It is not about restricting anybody's freedoms to buy what they want, it is restricting the Supermarkets power to use an addictive intoxicant to exploit people, specifically loss leading alcoholic products and selling products that serve no purpose other than to get people drunk.

Would you be happy to see supermarkets offer price deals and bulk deals on tobacco, or painkillers, or morphine to get customers in to their stores?

You cannot compare food with alcohol, food addiction is not a physical addiction it is a psychological addiction, and as I have said repeatedly, this will not affect the majority of people, it is not a restriction on sale of alcohol, it is not a restriction on the masses, it is restriction on the free market exploiting people with a sickness.

But I would support any proposal that stops supermarkets selling unhealthy food at a loss to encourage people into their stores, like I supported the ban on selling milk as a loss leader (although not for health reasons). Likewise a restriction on selling really unhealthy food at a really low price.

As I write this I have just seen an advert for co-op offering an 18 pack of Carling for a reduced amount wasn't fulling paying attention so I can't remember the price.

Edit: Just found the offer online, 18 440ml cans of Carling (1.8 units) for £12

That is 67p a can

With the minimum sales amount it would need to be 81p a can, or £14.58 for the pack.

[BunkMoreland]

Would you be happy to see supermarkets offer price deals and bulk deals on tobacco, or painkillers, or morphine to get customers in to their stores?

Tobacco, no problem.

Painkillers and morphine aren't things which responsible people use for enjoyment so aren't comparable to alcohol. I don't agree with them being used in the way in which you describe in the same way as I wouldn't agree with supermarkets offering deals on grenades or rocket launchers.

[davieG]

So you are another one of these morons Blue Brett was referring to, too stupid to resist offers, welcome to the club Trav, so far it's you me and DavieG stupid enough to buy products cheaper..

But fear not, maybe this will have another effect, the £7-£8 bottles of wine, may become £5-£6 bottles of wine, without being able to make such offers they will only be able to maintain the same level of sales by reducing the price to be more competitive.

And seeing the end of Bells, Cutty Sark, Napoleon rum, and all the other cheap disgusting crap that is only sold to alkies and students may not be a bad thing.

Why does it make me stupid, I can't afford/justify paying the full price so I wait for and take advantage of offers if there are no offers I go without.

[Captain...]

Why does it make me stupid, I can't afford/justify paying the full price so I wait for and take advantage of offers if there are no offers I go without.

Ask BlueBrett and Bunk Moreland, they seem to think that buying special offers on bulk deals makes us stupid.

[BunkMoreland]

Ask BlueBrett and Bunk Moreland, they seem to think that buying special offers on bulk deals makes us stupid.

I don't think buying special offers on bulk deals makes you stupid. I think that feeling you must immediately consume everything you have bought as quickly as possible with no regards to the obvious health implications makes you stupid.

[FoxyPV]

a) Takeaways are not cheaper than home cooking.

b) You can give away as many cookery classes as you want, you can't force people to go to them.

You can get dinner for a family of 4 in the chippy around the corner for around £7, so that's £42 a week for argument's sake.

Some people just don't know how to cook (regardless of class) and just resort to ready meals and other freezer foods. If you start teaching people to cook then you at least raise the possibility of the culinary culture changing.

[Captain...]

I don't think buying special offers on bulk deals makes you stupid. I think that feeling you must immediately consume everything you have bought as quickly as possible with no regards to the obvious health implications makes you stupid.

Ah I see what you did, you used rhetoric to invalidate your point.

That is not any issue anyone is trying to control because it doesn't exist, nobody does that, but some people do have an addiction/compulsion when it comes to alcohol that they can't control.

Incidentally alcohol abuse and misuse cost the NHS £7.3 billion in 2007, that is tax payers money, yours and mine, do you not want the government to try and tackle this issue?

[Jon the Hat]

I feel sorry for the poor people who can't afford better quality alcohol and believe me there are a few!! In all theses schemes, the heavily poor lose out.

Most people agree, this will have little effect on binge drinking etc, and the working class, mid and upper would not drink the cheap stuff, so it's the poor that suffers

Most people agree? Since when did that prove anything???

[Parafox]

Most people agree? Since when did that prove anything???

On Family Fortunes?

[Guest MattP]

I disagree and plus oned you because I am a div. You won't get offers like 3 for £10 on bottles of wine that might have cost £6-7 individually, which is the only time I buy £6-7 bottles of wine. Won't affect my whisky drinking as I only drink the better varieties, usually single malts, and in fact it might ruin Bells. (I refer to this catspiss as whisky only in the losest sense.)

Wonder if it might see a resurge in homebrewing though? Which won't help A&E.

If you like your whisky have a try of this, had it last week and although I'm not a massive whisky drinker this went down an absolute treat, sultry on the tongue and perfect for the winter chill. The flavour was like no other I had ever tasted.

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-9847.aspx

[Guest MattP]

It's not going to work by the way, if people want to drink they will do, they'll get the money somehow and the pricing despite what people are saying isn't exactly a mammoth load of difference.

One of my mates lost his job a while back and just stopped eating before he went out for hours so he could still get to the same level of pissedness with less money in his wallet.

[Captain...]

It's not going to work by the way, if people want to drink they will do, they'll get the money somehow and the pricing despite what people are saying isn't exactly a mammoth load of difference.

One of my mates lost his job a while back and just stopped eating before he went out for hours so he could still get to the same level of pissedness with less money in his wallet.

It's not trying to stop people from drinking, it is trying to stop supermarkets from using alcohol prices as a marketing tool, this is not some Orwellian infringement on human rights. This will in turn stop people buying cheap strong crap, nobody actually likes the taste of Special Brew of White Lightening*, or being encouraged to buy more than they want to.

*If they do they are free to still buy it.

[Guest MattP]

It's not trying to stop people from drinking, it is trying to stop supermarkets from using alcohol prices as a marketing tool, this is not some Orwellian infringement on human rights. This will in turn stop people buying cheap strong crap, nobody actually likes the taste of Special Brew of White Lightening, or being encouraged to buy more than they want to.

Fair enough, I can understand the logic a bit more from that point of view. (Though I still think it's an unfair attack on those who take advantage of these offers who drink to moderation, the two crates for £20 was a great in supermarkets)

Upsetting to see the majority again having something ruined because of a few idiots but that seems to be life nowadays.

On a different point I knew a Glaswegian who would only drink Special Brew, he loved it.

[Rincewind]

It will not have any affect on binge drinking. It will affect the local and hundreds of other places where the customer's drink in moderation. Supermarkets will still sell the crap six packs of cheap cider etc. More people will drink at home or the ones that are able brew their own. There will still be the 'promotions' in City Centre bars. I'm sure that if there is something to celebrate the bars are allowed to reduce prices in 2 4 1 offers.

In December Leicestere Camra have their Xmas social. A relaxing tour of Leicester's favorite watering holes. All welcome.

[Guest MattP]

It will not have any affect on binge drinking. It will affect the local and hundreds of other places where the customer's drink in moderation. Supermarkets will still sell the crap six packs of cheap cider etc. More people will drink at home or the ones that are able brew their own. There will still be the 'promotions' in City Centre bars. I'm sure that if there is something to celebrate the bars are allowed to reduce prices in 2 4 1 offers.

In December Leicestere Camra have their Xmas social. A relaxing tour of Leicester's favorite watering holes. All welcome.

Me and a friend did a tour of all the real drinking holes in Leicester last week to get over the weekend hangover and I quite enjoyed it testing out a few of the local ales and ciders.

Hansom cab, Ale Wagon, the Salmon, Barley Mow and the Globe.

Finished up in a couple of shitholes like the Tavern and Lamplighters, superb day out.

Surprised how lively the pubs were for a Monday.

[Captain...]

Fair enough, I can understand the logic a bit more from that point of view. (Though I still think it's an unfair attack on those who take advantage of these offers who drink to moderation, the two crates for £20 was a great in supermarkets)

Upsetting to see the majority again having something ruined because of a few idiots but that seems to be life nowadays.

On a different point I knew a Glaswegian who would only drink Special Brew, he loved it.

I'm glad someone can, it is not going to affect the majority though, only in cases of taking advantage of special offers, but without having these special offers prices would then tend to come down anyway to around the minimum for a single can, or a 4 pack of lager, so what you will lose in special offers you will gain when buying single items.

It will not affect the sale of anything decent, nor any pubs, even at 2 for 1 happy hour prices it would need to be less than £2 a pint normally (so £1 a pint for it to fall below the limit) and that is a rarity these days £2 a pint.

It will be interesting to see if it affects online beer orders and wine clubs.

[Rincewind]

I normally go on it. Not sure this year with money being tight. I do have birthday and xmas money though left.

Can't go in the SAlmon. The landlord took a dislike to me over a misunderstanding. Hundred apologies has not changed his mind. Still a good place and he's a good landlord even so.

May have to just stay on halves.

The social secretary says he will email me the itinerary and route when it's sorted. Just hope the free buffet isn't the Salmon as it was last year.

[Rincewind]

I've seen John Smiths sold at £1 pint in Leicester Centre. What a rip off. I could go straight to their loos and get it for nothing.

[Captain...]

I've seen John Smiths sold at £1 pint in Leicester Centre. What a rip off. I could go straight to their loos and get it for nothing.

It is pretty weak JS and a pint is only 2 units, so they can knock a further 10p off and it will still be ok to sell under these rules.

[Parafox]

Earlier it was meantioned that this idea would get more people into pubs.

If the minimum price is 45p per unit won't, because at £3.20 a pint (2.5 units) of Pedigree it's still gonna be twice the price of shop bought cans

[absolutelegend]

I prefer to drink at home over going to a pub. This won't change that for me.

[Rincewind]

I like the pricing by strength method. It works OK at beer festivals. A few real ale pubs do it. I normally start on the lower lighter strengths then work my way up to the darker stouts and porters. With the stronger ones I only have half. This is assuming I have enough money which is often only in dreamland. In reality nowadays it's no more than 5/6 a week. Still overspending. at £11 +

[Guest MattP]

I'm actually the other way round, I rarely drink at home but love the pub atmosphere to have a drink in.

[davieG]

Having a minimum price wont stop this.

Fourteen shops and bars targeted in an underage drinking sting in Leicester agreed to sell alcohol to children.

They were among 56 premises visited by three teenagers – a boy aged 15 and two 16-year-old girls – in the Beaumont Leys, Hamilton, Welford Road and Hinckley Road areas on several days last week as part of the police operation.

Officers said today that while staff at 42 of the premises refused to sell alcohol to the youngsters, who were supervised by plain clothes officers, there were 14 businesses where staff were prepared to sell the young customers alcohol.

The staff at those premises - a quarter of the number visited - will be interviewed by police and could be issued with a fine of £80 or, if prosecuted in the magistrates' court, fined up to £5,000.

The operation was timed to coincide with Alcohol Awareness Week.

Pc Jon Webb, of city police's licensing unit, said: "Selling alcohol to any person under the age of 18 is a criminal offence and we hope this operation will serve as a reminder to all those selling alcohol to be proactive in asking for ID in the future.

"We would also like to ask customers who may look young to expect to be 'challenged' by staff to provide proof of age and assist them in selling alcohol legally and responsibly."

Police named the following premises as having failed the test: The Cherry Tree, East Bond Street; Sun on Church Gate; The Crumblin' Cookie, High Street; Revive and Vision, Braunstone Gate; Sandhu's Off Licence, Constance Road; The Off Licence, Knighton Fields Road East; Tesco Express, Ryder Road; Home Farm Supermarket, Home Farm Close; Qwik News, Home Farm Square; Co-Op, Thurmaston Lane; Tesco, Maidenwell Avenue; Belgrave Post Office and General Stores and Off Licence, Loughborough Road; Dhurga Mini Market, Melton Road and Thevi News, Brandon Street.

[Guest MattP]

Having a minimum price wont stop this.

Sandhu's Off Licence

lol How on earth is he still going, that must be the tenth time he's been caught, we used to get ours from him about 15 years ago when I was 14.