Today the Government announced that it was abandoning plans to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol. It also dropped proposals to introduce a multibuy ban on sales in off-licenses and supermarkets. In his introduction to the 2012 Alcohol Strategy David Cameron wrote that ‘we are going to introduce a new minimum unit price’, with a consultation on the right level at which it should be set. This u-turn does not appear to be based on any new evidence, but rather a change of heart following sustained pressure from sections of the alcohol industry.
In his statement to Parliament, Jeremy Browne MP said 56% of respondents to the Alcohol Strategy consultation didn’t agree with a 45p minimum unit price, but was unable to say how many of those felt it should be actually be higher.
The Government now looks set to revert to its previous policy of banning the sale of alcohol at below cost + VAT. However, previous analyses have found that this will have a negligible impact on drinks promotions and cheap alcohol sales. > > > > Read More
