There has been a lot of talk in the news recently about banning cheap alcohol sold in supermarkets in order to tackle the nation’s apparent binge drinking problem. The idea is that because alcohol is more expensive people will buy less and in turn drink less.
I am extremely uncomfortable with this proposal.
Alcohol is legal in the United Kingdom and until such a time that it is made illegal, people should be free to consume whatever amount of alcohol they wish. If they choose to drink excessively they will have to deal with the health consequences and the risk they’ll make a complete fool of themselves and end up getting arrested.
The price of alcohol in pubs and bars is quite high. The average price of a pint of larger in the United Kingdom is £2.68 (higher in Newcastle at £2.80); that compares with £1.95 in the USA and just £0.40 in the Philippines. For the wine-drinking, middle class establishment, £2.68 for a pint is affordable. But for low-income families, the price of alcohol in pubs is too high. That's why many stay in and drink at home. They can quite easily go down to Asda and buy 15 cans of Fosters for £10.00 on special offer; the maths is simple.
The risk of minimum unit pricing and banning special offers on alcohol in supermarkets is that enjoying a drink on a regular basis becomes the preserve of the wealthy. It's very easy for the people who can afford to buy their wine from upmarket wine merchants to say they're thinking of the nation's health, when in fact they are ignoring the fact that those on low-income have as much right to drink alcohol as them.
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