Minimum prices that could double the price of some drinks should be imposed on alcohol to curb binge-drinking, the Government's top medical adviser is expected to urge. Professor Sir Liam Donaldson is set to call for a ban on drinks being sold for less than 50p per alcoholic unit, it was reported last night.

 

The Chief Medical Officer's recommendation, which could double the price of some beverages, is expected to come in his annual report on the state of the nation's health tomorrow.

 

Such a move would particularly affect the price of beer and wines in supermarkets, who have been regularly criticised for selling alcohol as "loss leaders".

It could see a can of beer costing at least £1 and bottles of wine a minimum £4, depending on strength.

 

The move would be welcomed by many medical professionals, with alcohol-related illnesses costing the NHS £3 billion a year.

 

The total expense to the taxpayer of alcohol misuse is thought to £25 billion a year.

But there is no suggestion that the proposal is to be immediately adopted and ministers have been concerned in the past about being accused of punishing responsible drinkers.

 

David Poley, the chief executive of the Portman Group, set up by drinks manufacturers to promote sensible drinking, told The Sunday Telegraph: "This would hit the pockets of hard-working families who are already struggling to make ends meet, and it would not deter those people who drink to get drunk."

 

A Department of Health spokeswoman suggested that the recession could have a bearing on any decision at the moment.

 

"We have not ruled out taking action on very cheap alcohol - it's clearly linked to people drinking more and the subsequent harm to their health," she said.

"Any decisions we make will take into account their wider economic impact during this difficult time.

 

"It would be wrong to make sweeping changes without consideration of all the options suggested by our research published in December.

 

"We need to do more work on this to make sure any action we take is appropriate, fair and effective."

 

Source: Independent on Sunday

 

Would you support this measure, or would it drive you to drink?

:o

 

They can f*** right off.

 

Binge drinking happens mainly in bars/clubs. with the exception of the very young who only drink f***ing buckfast.

 

Pushing the price of whiskey, wine and Vodka up is not the answer.

 

 

 

If i return from Aus to find that Glens has risen in price from £9.97 i'l throw a lot more than green bloody custard.

:o

 

They can f*** right off.

 

Binge drinking happens mainly in bars/clubs. with the exception of the very young who only drink f***ing buckfast.

 

Pushing the price of whiskey, wine and Vodka up is not the answer.

If i return from Aus to find that Glens has risen in price from £9.97 i'l throw a lot more than green bloody custard.

 

What d'you care - you've still got all the cheap XXXX you could want! :lol:

 

They won't go through with this, it's a crazy idea, the only reason they were able to ban smoking was because all the smokers ran out of oxygen before they could get to Westminster. Drunks have far better stamina and will break into HoP and prevent this madness

i don't drink beer tho :(

 

XXXX can f*** itself and TooHeys is just vileness in a can/bottle.

 

Spirits ftw.

 

 

 

I doubt they will go through with it, i'm sure i've read something about this before somewhere.

 

Maybe the scottish government proposed it somewhere but failed because they have no real or actual power

f*** SAKE!

 

I get enough rudecunts at work having a go at the prices of VK's as it is! (£4.05 :mellow:).

 

Hope this doesn't kick in till I MOVE in JUNE.

LOLz. Do the government remember what happened within America during the 20's? I'm not saying that a similar thing will happen in the UK if this does happen, but raising price on drinks isn't going to stop people from drinking. Oh, and raising the price during these times, is quite literally, taking the p***.

i don't drink beer tho :(

 

XXXX can f*** itself and TooHeys is just vileness in a can/bottle.

 

Spirits ftw.

 

Atcherly I completely agree, give me 10 shots of absinthe ^_^ anyday over a couple of pints :puke2:

 

What happened in the '20s? :unsure:

Edited March 15, 200916 yr by tombliboo

Atcherly I completely agree, give me 10 shots of absinthe ^_^ anyday over a couple of pints :puke2:

 

What happened in the '20s? :unsure:

Prohibition in America, drinking was banned and as result crime soared.

 

It's a different but similar case in the UK though if the price was raised...

Prohibition in America, drinking was banned and as result crime soared.

 

It's a different but similar case in the UK though if the price was raised...

 

Oh right, I've honestly never heard about that. It's an interesting thought, would there be more backstreet trading of alcohol if it were taxed more? Would there be more off-license robberies? I suppose there would. The people who are most dependent on alcohol I'd imagine are those who will be affected most and so will have to resort to such measures.

i don't drink beer tho :(

 

XXXX can f*** itself and TooHeys is just vileness in a can/bottle.

 

Spirits ftw.

I doubt they will go through with it, i'm sure i've read something about this before somewhere.

 

Maybe the scottish government proposed it somewhere but failed because they have no real or actual power

 

VB :wub:

 

As for this proposal it is utterly insane, whoever dreamed it up should be put in a straight jacket in a padded cell

 

Why should responsible and sensible drinkers be penalised because of chavs ?

 

Get rid of 2 for 1 offers in pubs, get rid of happy hours and free drinks promotions, get rid of the all you can drink for £ x things, ban all those, they are what causes binge drinking and chav behaviour, making responsible drinkers pay double is one of the daftest things have ever heard

:o Happy hour is godly.

 

Especially in a country when it is expensive as for premixed drinks.

 

it's like $15 for a pack of 4 smirnoff ice's. Bloody Queensland government taxes them all to hell.

 

Most people around here drink TooHeys anyway, it escaped the tax rise and tends to be the subject of happy hour. it's the cheapest drink anyway :/

I just wonder that, if this whole one unit of alcohol = 50p thing does actually take off, if it means that a 70cl bottle of Baileys (which has 12 units of alcohol) will actually come down in price from £12 to £6.....? :lol: :lol:

 

Wont work like that will it....? :rolleyes:

I just wonder that, if this whole one unit of alcohol = 50p thing does actually take off, if it means that a 70cl bottle of Baileys (which has 12 units of alcohol) will actually come down in price from £12 to £6.....? :lol: :lol:

 

Wont work like that will it....? :rolleyes:

I thought it was at least 50p per unit?

You've got to take into account wholesale cost before tax and the mark-up from the seller.

 

so it may not change in price at all.

Tooheys is bloody vile, I tried drinking Aussie while on holiday but had to go back to European where I coudl find it.

 

This won't affect me particularly as I tend to prefer premium alcohol across the board which is already routinely above this 'minimum'. Just as long as they don't see it as an excuse to push the price of my Cab Sauv or Malt whisky up!

 

It looks to me to double up as a thinly-veiled attempt to price alcohol out of the reach of teenagers too. If the 2 litres of white cider for a quid offers aren't there then their pocket money won't go as far on a Friday night.

Tooheys is bloody vile, I tried drinking Aussie while on holiday but had to go back to European where I coudl find it.

It really is horrendous isn't it.

 

I only tried it because it was $3.50 compared to the $9 they were charging for the far superior and actually drinkable Corona.

It looks to me to double up as a thinly-veiled attempt to price alcohol out of the reach of teenagers too. If the 2 litres of white cider for a quid offers aren't there then their pocket money won't go as far on a Friday night.

 

Which surely isn't a bad thing.... The thing is, for the more canny drinkers, it wont really be anything like the problem some are making it out to be... The sort of stuff I drink (such as PROPER cider, you know, made with APPLES/real fruit such as Westons Organic, Scrumpy, Kopparberg, and local ciders, etc, not fukkin' BATTERY ACID such as White Lightening or Strongbow.....) and the seriously good imported German and Belgian beers that certain pubs in London serve on tap, are very MUCH over the 50p per unit price tag..... :lol: It being more expensive teaches you to savour your drinks more and pace yourself better....

 

I don't know where you drink, but Kopparberg (:wub:) is the same price as strongbow in Dundee Uni's Union

 

Or at least it was last time i was in there.

I don't know where you drink, but Kopparberg (:wub:) is the same price as strongbow in Dundee Uni's Union

 

Or at least it was last time i was in there.

 

Urgh. I wish it was at mine. It's more than £1 more. Anyone else think that Magners is the worst cider though? It's vile. Makes Strongbow taste delicious. :puke:

 

I have to say that I'd drink far less if it were more expensive. When I can get pissed off my nut for a tenner by buying drinks beforehand I spend less than I would if I just went for a quiet drink...

I don't know where you drink, but Kopparberg (:wub:) is the same price as strongbow in Dundee Uni's Union

 

Or at least it was last time i was in there.

 

Oh come on, you cant compare a University student union bar to a normal pub....

 

As for where I drink - er, LONDON.... :lol: :lol: Just try going up to a bar in Camden or the West End and get two pints for a fiver..... :lol: :lol: