BBPA to advise on best practice for drinks promotions
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) is due to release a best practice guide covering drinks promotions.
The guide will include recommendations on how to run sensible promotions in light of criticism that has been levelled at licensees who sell cheap beer.
Cut-price promotions have been blamed for increasing violence and encouraging binge drinking, but the guide is not expected to recommend either a ban or a minimum price.
Instead it is likely to focus on tailoring promotions to the outlet and clientele, and recognising where problems could arise.
The move follows a ruling by the Office of Fair Trading in August that a group of licensees and police in Middlesbrough were breaking the law by trying to set a minimum price for drinks promotions. The OFT said this went against competition laws.
Happy hours have been criticised in the past for encouraging customers to drink large quantities of alcohol in a very short time - often leading to illness or disorder.
The BBPA is likely to recommend these be run over a longer period of time to avoid the problem of binge drinking.
Related news:
OFT allows drinks promotions despite binge drinking concerns (16 August 2001)
