Asda: deep discounting in our DNA
Low pricing is in our DNA and we do not welcome any discussions on setting a minimum price on alcohol — that is the clear message from supermarket giant Asda.
Speaking at the Westminster Health Forum, public affairs director Guy Mason said that Asda customers were "overwhelmingly" against action on pricing. He cited a survey, which revealed that 67% of its customers were against such a move when asked.
"We would not welcome minimum pricing as our customers have told us they wouldn't want it," he said. "Why are we being asked to punish 80% of our customers because of the behaviour of the minority?"
Asda unveiled a range of initiatives last year, including restricting alcohol sales between midnight and 6am and banning sales of single cans, but insists it is within its right to offer customers value for money — its mission statement is "to make goods and services affordable to all".
Mason added: "It is in our DNA to offer low prices to our customers and we do that through a free market.
"We offer value, allowing our customers to keep more of their money."
Outrageous
However, Professor Mark Bellis of Liverpool John Moores University said that supermarket promotions were "outrageous" and "effectively a tax on moderate drinking". He said: "Cheap alcohol is the cancer at the heart of our drinking problem."
Alcohol Concern chief executive Don Shenker said: "Asda's mission statement is to provide customer value but alcohol is not an ordinary product. It is a pyschoactive drug.
"Supermarkets like Asda can ignore tax increases. We need to look at a strategy around minimum pricing so we can end the irresponsible deep discounting from retailers."
Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) chief executive Mike Benner backed calls for a minimum price of around 45-50p per unit linked to RPI increases. "It is the first step in culture change," he said. Benner added that well run community pubs were "part of the solution to the problem".
Liver specialist Dr Nick Sheron claimed that liver death rates were directly linked to the affordability of alcohol. He said an increase in price would have a "massive effect" on the heaviest drinkers and young drinkers so it passed the "test of fairness".
