CAMRA blasts cheap supermarket booze

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has joined the call for an end to cheap supermarket alcohol - slating major chains for selling lager for just 5p more than a bottle of water.

A survey by CAMRA revealed that in some supermarkets Fosters and Carlsberg was available for the equivalent of just 54p a pint - or 16p before tax.

Cheap deals included:

· Sainsbury's selling Carling for 54p a pint (£9.99 for 24x440ml)

· Morrison's selling Grolsch for 76p a pint (£16 for 40x300ml)

· Tesco selling Budweiser for 95p a pint (£9.98 for 20x300ml)

CAMRA chief executive Mike Benner said: "The ridiculous practice of the major supermarkets selling below cost for alcohol to out-price each other is reckless, irresponsible and dangerous.​

"To put it in perspective some bottled water in the supermarket costs 49p a pint and water is not subject to excise duty as alcohol is. "Pubs often come under unjustified attack for encouraging binge-drinking, yet the industry has committed itself to curb irresponsible drinking and cheap alcohol promotions in recent years.

"This hard work is undermined by supermarkets selling enormous quantities of alcohol at prices that simply cannot be justified.

"An 18-year-old is free to take advantage of these ludicrous beer prices, walk out the supermarket door and then drink in a completely unsupervised and unsafe environment.

"Beer can be given by them to under-age drinkers who do not know their limits but pour premium-strength lager down their throats all night.

"This is in stark contrast to adults enjoying a drink in a pub, which is regulated by law as to who they can and cannot serve.

"Something has to be done now to make supermarkets realise the damage these promotions can cause."

Currently 41 MPs have signed the Early Day Motion, submitted by All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group chairman John Grogan, calling for action against cheap supermarket alcohol.