Tesco backs Government action on cheap alcohol
Tesco has backed Government plans to ban the below cost sale of alcohol and said it is even in favour of minimum pricing.
The supermarket giant, whose boss Terry Leahy was once dubbed "the godfather of binge drinking" by former Beer Group chairman John Grogan, said that action on cheap alcohol was needed.
Tesco director for corporate affairs Lucy Neville-Rolfe said that its customers research had shown it two things needed to be done. "One is that something needs to be done on price and that needs to be done by the Government because retailers can't get together and fix the price," she told the BBC.
"And that we all need to do more in stores and the community to try and deal with anti-social behaviour on alcohol."
She added: "People are saying that cheap alcohol can cause a problem, that binge drinking and underage drinking are all issues and as a responsible retailer we have been thinking how can we do something about that.
"And as you know the price is established in competition with lots of other supermarkets and others in the industry and as a result there is some very cheap alcohol.
"And so we thought what can we do about that. Let's ask the Government to look at should there be a minimum price or a ban on below cost selling. Could it be justified because it will deal with the problems at the lower end without hitting the vast majority of people who drink and drink responsibly."
Earlier this week, multiple pub lessee Tony Brookes urged licensees to take part in a campaign to highlight the cheap deals available and put pressure on MPs to push for action.
