SBPA: Minimum pricing not a panacea
Minimum pricing is not a panacea to the binge drinking problem - that is the stark warning from the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA).
Although the SBPA supports the intention to stop the cheap irresponsible deals in the off-trade, it does not believe minimum pricing is the way forward.
"Minimum prices aren't some sort of panacea," said chief executive Patrick Browne (pictured).
"High prices do not solve alcohol misuse, just as low prices do not cause alcohol misuse."
High prices do not solve alcohol misuse, just as low prices do not cause alcohol misusePatrick BrowneSBPA
Browne believes the Scottish Government would have to provide "compelling" evidence to implement minimum pricing and circumvent competition laws.
"Scotland's hard-pressed, hard-working families will not thank the Scottish Government for trying to take even more money from an already spiralling family shopping budget, particularly at a time when the economy is under enormous pressure," he said.
"However, we support the Scottish Government's objective of persuading supermarkets to bring to an end their irresponsible promotion of alcohol and step up to the mark in the way the pub trade did three years ago with its code outlawing dodgy promotions."
Social Responsibility Fee
Browne was also highly scathing of plans to charge pubs a social responsibility fee - a scheme remarkably similar to the controversial Alcohol Disorder Zones in England.
"Scotland's 17,000 licensed premises already pay billions of pounds each year to the government through local business rates, excise duties, VAT and other forms of business taxation, and are paying millions more under the new Licensing Act," he said.
"The Police already have difficulty in relating accurately instances of criminal activity to particular premises.
"Just because an incident happens outside a pub premises does not necessarily mean the problems relate that premises. As a result, this proposal may well target the wrong businesses."
