Off-trade ignores anti-binge budget
Supermarkets and off-licences are continuing to ignore attempts by the Government to clamp down on irresponsible promotions.
Despite Chancellor Alistair Darling putting 4p on a pint of beer, 14p on a bottle of wine and 55p on a bottle of spirits - the off-trade is continuing with cut-price deals as normal.
One off-licence chain, Bargain Booze, has even written to brewers asking them to absorb the extra costs or face being de-listed from its 600 shops.
A letter seen by the Observer said: "We will have to review the position of any brands where the retail ticket is increased in our business ... We regret to say that we cannot absorb the increases in costs that the Budget would seem to demand."
It asks suppliers to help "by absorbing these increases within your own company".
Unlike supermarkets, pubs will have to increase costs because of the budget.
John Grogan, MA columnist and chairman of the Parliamentary Beer Group, told teh paper: "If part of the concern is health and we want to raise the price as a deterrent, it is not going to work: you are just going to have a wider differential between the pubs and supermarkets.
"We will get an increasing turnaround from pubs towards drinking at home, where nobody tells you that you have had enough. This isn't a victory if it doesn't affect prices in supermarkets."
Bargain Booze said that it if the supermarkets put up its prices, everyone would breathe a sigh of relief.
