Scots take action on shop booze
Scotland is to take action to end cut price and 'extra free' alcohol deals in the shops and supermarkets.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced the crackdown as part of tough new measures to tackle Scotland's 'destructive drinking culture'.
Speaking at Alcohol Focus Scotland's annual conference, MacAskill outlined plans to extend the new Licensing Act to crackdown on irresponsible promotions and pricing in off-sales.
This is immediate action to kick start a long term drive to change Scotland's culture - to help make sure drinking to get drunk is simply no longer seen as acceptable Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.
These measures, will outlaw promotions that provide alcohol for free or at a reduced price on the purchase of one or more of the product or another product.
He said: "From young people rampaging the streets shouting abuse at passers by to people dying in our hospitals of alcoholic liver disease - alcohol misuse has a lot to answer for. The facts are stark - over 60 per cent of prisoners admit they were drunk when they offended, and six people die every day from alcohol related illness.
"This is immediate action to kick start a long term drive to change Scotland's culture - to help make sure drinking to get drunk is simply no longer seen as acceptable. To end the days of 'buy two get one free' type promotions reducing the cost of beer to as little as 43 pence a pint. These measures will also support long term change in all our drinking habits."
"We will stop shops displaying beer all around the store or cross-merchandising wine in the pizza counter to entice impulse buyers to buy and drink more alcohol. I hope this will help us to remind people that alcohol is not just another commodity and it shouldn't be treated in the same way as buying a tin of beans or loaf of bread.
"As a government we are not prohibitionists or anti-alcohol. But we are taking a stand against excessive drinking and the impact it is having on people's health, wellbeing and safety.
"I won't stand by and do nothing, watching alcohol misuse tighten its grip and continue to wreak havoc on the lives of people up and down Scotland. By taking action today to turn off the tap of cheap drink, to end irresponsible promotions wherever alcohol is sold, and making sure alcohol isn't sold at every turn in the supermarket, I believe we can turn this around."
"Of course there is more to be done. This is the first step in a long term strategy to tackle the health and social harms of alcohol misuse. There is a role for the NHS, for the police, the alcohol industry, and for our schools. We need to communicate with the public about taking responsibility and drinking sensibly. Today's action signals our intent to step up the pace of action."
