MP tells pub trade to unite against supermarket booze
MP John Grogan has called on brewers and pubcos to stand together in the fight against cheap supermarket booze.
Grogan, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, says some of the promotions in supermarkets are as bad as the 'drink all you want' promotions in the on-trade.
Speaking to his local paper about the Competition Commission's supermarket inquiry, the York Press, the Selby MP said: "The mere existence of the inquiry appears to have galvanised critics of the supermarkets. For the first time, brewers have joined pub companies, farmers, small shops and environmentalists in making critical submissions to the Commission.
There is no more decisive issue concerning the future viability of pubs than the debate concerning the big retailers' pricing policy John Grogan MP
"Essentially, all are united in the complaint that the supermarkets, while offering superb choice and quality to consumers, are abusing their power at some considerable social and economic cost.
"Football-related promotions of beer in supermarkets are beginning to be perceived to be as notorious as the £10 nightclub entry fee allowing customers to drink as much as they wanted."
Scottish and Newcastle caused a stir when it submitted criticisms of the off-trade to the inquiry and Grogan said: "There is a real imperative for brewers and pub companies to follow Scottish and Newcastle's lead and speak their minds in relation to the supermarkets' promotions."
Grogan said given the impending smoking ban, low supermarket prices could threaten the future of British pubs.
"As things stand, the smoking ban can only increase the comparative advantage of the off-trade," he said.
"There is no more decisive issue concerning the future viability of pubs than the debate concerning the big retailers' pricing policy."
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