Alcohol sellers seek regulatory freezeBy Elizabeth Rigby and Jimmy Burns
Published: March 5 2008
Drinks companies, pubs and supermarkets yesterday implored the government not to take further regulatory action on alcohol sales and promotions after the government admitted that 24-hour licensing laws had produced "mixed results".
The British Pub and Beer Association told the government it was already suffering from difficult trading conditions following last year's smoking ban and fragile consumer confidence, without further regulatory or tax pressure.
Supermarket groups, under fire for aggressive drinks promotions, reminded the government that competition law made it illegal for them to take collective action on price rises.
"The industry is doing triple backwards somersaults to come to terms with shifting government criteria," said Tim Martin, chairman of Wetherspoons, the pub chain. "Pubs were repeatedly investigated in the 1970s and 1980s for over-pricing and now, having forgotten about rip-off Britain, we are being told to get our prices up."
. . . . . .
___________________________________________________________________
