Ministers to enforce minimum prices on alcoholBy Patrick Sawer
The Government is set to force supermarkets to raise the price of alcoholic drinks in a bid to cut down on binge-drinking.
Ministers are preparing to enforce a minimum price for beer, wine and spirits in the face of growing anger over discount selling of alcohol as a "loss leader" by the big supermarkets.
The Office of Fair Trading is understood to have cleared the move, as long as the Government can prove "exceptional" circumstances - such as a link between alcohol and violence, and the supermarkets' failure to act.
Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker has held talks to see how minimum prices are enforced overseas.
One system being considered is that used in Canada, where experts establish the minimum price alcohol should be sold to prevent it causing harm to society.
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