Alcohol minimum unit pricing

[nivilla1982]

Republic of Ireland to push ahead with alcohol minimum pricing

Retailers fear the move could see a surge of shoppers crossing the border for "cheaper booze".

www.bbc.co.uk

Though the article from the BBC refers to the Republic of Ireland, I understand Scotland has proposed a similar scheme or has one in place already?

 

[JeepJeep]

In place in Wales for just over 12 Months. Just pick ours up elsewhere

 

[nivilla1982]

So basically it encourages some to shop over the "border" as such?

 

[JeepJeep]

So basically it encourages some to shop over the "border" as such?

Still buy a bit in Wales but we have another home in England so we'll pick it up when we're back and forth.

 

[Ashtree]

Belfast Telegraph this morning warning of £6 a pint in NI after Covid...

 

[M-J-G]

So basically it encourages some to shop over the "border" as such?

In Scotland a minimum price of 50p/unit of alcohol has been set since May 2018.
Shopping over the border isn't something that's been talked about in that time.
Driving half an hour each way to save a few pence on a unit is unlikely to stack up financially unless you're taking a lorry.

 

[The Seeker]

its never enough my friend lives in norway .. its £10.00 a pint that would put me off mind

 

[Swarfmonkey]

In Scotland a minimum price of 50p/unit of alcohol has been set since May 2018.
Shopping over the border isn't something that's been talked about in that time.
Driving half an hour each way to save a few pence on a unit is unlikely to stack up financially unless you're taking a lorry.

I know a few people that live just over the border and they already head south for their booze shopping. If the likes of Alcohol Focus Scotland and a few other quasi-temperance organisations get their way and have it raised to 65p/unit you'd soon see a lot more people heading south of the border (with the more enterprising types bringing it back in bulk to flog off on the sly).

To give an example, a 2 litre bottle of Strongbow would be £10.40 north of the border, but £3.60 in a Morrisons south of the border, if AFS get their way. That's a hell of a difference.

 

[M-J-G]

It is for people who buy bottom end drink, anything of any quality is above minimum price anyway.

How much low end alcohol are are these people buying to make it worth their while going any distance?

 

[Nithsdale]

In Scotland a minimum price of 50p/unit of alcohol has been set since May 2018.
Shopping over the border isn't something that's been talked about in that time.
Driving half an hour each way to save a few pence on a unit is unlikely to stack up financially unless you're taking a lorry.

It has! That's all we heard round here (Dumfries) it would create lots of booze runs to Carlisle!..

In reality I don't believe it has happened - unless you live in Gretna, say, and go to Carlisle for shopping anyway... It was just the typical naysayers trying to kick Scotgov (maybe the particular party in power?) for anything they try that's different from 'Down South'.


I remember the criticism and ridicule when the pricing was first considered... same folks ridiculed the smoking ban when it was proposed

 

[Mr Mackay]

its never enough my friend lives in norway .. its £10.00 a pint that would put me off mind

Brew your own

 

[milkloss]

So what happens to the extra money being charged? Apologies if that’s a stupid question.

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

its never enough my friend lives in norway .. its £10.00 a pint that would put me off mind

I paid 230Kr for two pints in the hotel bar

 

[betternextyear]

I paid 230Kr for two pints in the hotel bar

It was explained to me ,the first time I was in Norway that" you never buy rounds"

 

[neilo]

It is for people who buy bottom end drink, anything of any quality is above minimum price anyway.

How much low end alcohol are are these people buying to make it worth their while going any distance?

I live on the Welsh border. Mrs NeilO informs me that a litre bottle of Gin is a fiver cheaper when it’s on offer in English supermarkets. The exact same product is never reduced in Welsh shops, due to the minimum pricing policy.
She buys it in England for a neighbour as well, if she sees it on offer.

The policy is just a nonsense anyway. I really can’t see that it will reduce alcohol dependency and the associated problems, as it is supposed to.

 

[neilo]

So what happens to the extra money being charged? Apologies if that’s a stupid question.

The shops call it profit. It’s not a tax, just a minimum selling price.

 

[Highland Mule]

To give an example, a 2 litre bottle of Strongbow would be £10.40 north of the border, but £3.60 in a Morrisons south of the border, if AFS get their way. That's a hell of a difference.

Check your maths - £10.40 implies 16 units in a bottle - I don't think that's right, is it?

 

[M-J-G]

I live on the Welsh border. Mrs NeilO informs me that a litre bottle of Gin is a fiver cheaper when it’s on offer in English supermarkets. The exact same product is never reduced in Welsh shops, due to the minimum pricing policy.
She buys it in England for a neighbour as well, if she sees it on offer.

The policy is just a nonsense anyway. I really can’t see that it will reduce alcohol dependency and the associated problems, as it is supposed to.

But that's just being more expensive, it's not minimum pricing.
Minimum pricing only effects the cheap product, anything else is just profiteering.

 

[JCMaloney]

And it doesn`t work or address the problem, it is gesture politics at its best.

Alcohol off-sales fall in first year of minimum pricing

The volume of pure alcohol sold per person is down 3.6% in Scotland while south of the border it has risen.

www.bbc.co.uk

They compared the 12 months after implementation with the previous 12 months - and found it led to an average price increase of 5p per unit.
The reduction in pure alcohol sold was the equivalent of 26 units annually per person - about 12 pints of average strength beer. (1 a month if you like!)
Despite the reduction in alcohol sold, the sales still equated to every adult in Scotland drinking about 27 bottles of vodka a year!!

 

[neilo]

But that's just being more expensive, it's not minimum pricing.
Minimum pricing only effects the cheap product, anything else is just profiteering.

No. The minimum price rule is cited as the reason they don’t discount litre bottles of Gin in Wales, when the sand companies do, with the same product, in England. It’s not a ‘cheap’ product, just strong.

I can’t stand the stuff personally, but a neighbour keeps a stash here as he admits he likes ‘generous’ measures when he calls in.
I don’t know he gets in his car sometimes.