'Minimum price on alcohol won't work'
A minimum price on alcohol would force up prices for the majority of responsible drinkers and do nothing to tackle problems, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned.
The warning comes as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) repeated calls for a minimum price of 50p a unit to be set in England.
Earlier in the week, research commissioned by the Scottish Government also said that a minimum price of 40p a unit would cut alcohol related deaths by 20% over 10 years.
In the journal of Clinical Medicine, the RCP argued that "moderate" drinkers were footing the bill for a minority to drink to excess and that a minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol "would end this subsidy".
It also argued that if supermarkets stopped selling alcohol below cost, they may be able to introduce promotions on healthier products such as fruit and vegetables.
But the BRC said it was wrong to assume only problem drinkers bought value alcoholic drinks.
"Minimum pricing simply penalises ordinary shoppers, such as families looking for value, who buy alcohol as part of their weekly shop and consume it responsibly with their family and friends," said BRC food director Andrew Opie.
"Rather than focusing on price, changing the culture around alcohol is a much more effective way of tackling the problem."
He added: "Without a comprehensive strategy excessive drinkers will just find the money to buy more expensive alcohol without changing their behaviour.
"The price of alcohol is not the issue — it's the person consuming it."
Divided opinion
Opinion in the pub trade on a minimum price remains very much divided. Many would like to see it introduced to force up prices in supermarkets, where cheap deals are seen to be keeping people at home and promoting binge drinking.
But the fear remains that if power on prices was ceded to Government, it could use it to hammer the trade as it has done with duty.
"How long before the Government is demanding £1, £2 or even £3 a unit?" asked Inez Ward of Justice for Licensees.
The biggest hurdle for setting a minimum price, however, would be testing its legality under British and European competition law.
