ACS Concerned Over Bottle Labelling Suggestions
23 Aug 2007
ACS (Association of Convenience Stores), the campaigning voice of over 33,000 local shops, is responding to comments made by the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, about requiring retailers to label bottles of alcohol that they sell, so as when alcohol is found in the possession of a minor the place from which the alcohol is bought is clearly identifiable.
However, ACS believes this bottle labelling scheme is flawed, and will lead to retailers being unfairly accused of selling alcohol to minors. ACS has written to the Home Office, expressing their concerns about the proposals.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Selling alcohol to underage people is an unacceptable crime, and the convenience store sector is committed to doing all possible to prevent it from happening. However, we find the suggestions for bottle labels that would identify which store the alcohol was sold from, are not well thought through and would be ineffective.”
“If a young person is drinking from a bottle that can be identified with a certain store, there is no way of knowing if the young person personally brought the product, or if a family member of older friend supplied it. We need to stop young people getting a hold of alcohol in the first place. Retailers, who already enforce age restrictions despite risks of intimidation and violence, should not be forced to comply with a burdensome and ineffective system.”
“More needs to be done to change attitudes toward alcohol, so that people understand it in unacceptable to supply drink to anyone under-18, whatever the circumstances.”
Contact:
Shane Brennan Public Affairs and Communications Manager
ACS
01252 515001 / 07921 372978
Rachel Lawson Communications Co-ordinator
ACS
01252 515001
Michael Saxton Grappa
020 7602 9222
Notes to Editors:
1. ACS is the convenience store champion, helping local shops thrive through lobbying, insight, information and commercial services.
2. Jacqui Smith made her comments in an interview in the Daily Mirror. Details can be found at http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/08/23/the-abc-of-beating-yob-crime-89520-19675510/
However, ACS believes this bottle labelling scheme is flawed, and will lead to retailers being unfairly accused of selling alcohol to minors. ACS has written to the Home Office, expressing their concerns about the proposals.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Selling alcohol to underage people is an unacceptable crime, and the convenience store sector is committed to doing all possible to prevent it from happening. However, we find the suggestions for bottle labels that would identify which store the alcohol was sold from, are not well thought through and would be ineffective.”
“If a young person is drinking from a bottle that can be identified with a certain store, there is no way of knowing if the young person personally brought the product, or if a family member of older friend supplied it. We need to stop young people getting a hold of alcohol in the first place. Retailers, who already enforce age restrictions despite risks of intimidation and violence, should not be forced to comply with a burdensome and ineffective system.”
“More needs to be done to change attitudes toward alcohol, so that people understand it in unacceptable to supply drink to anyone under-18, whatever the circumstances.”
Contact:
Shane Brennan Public Affairs and Communications Manager
ACS
01252 515001 / 07921 372978
Rachel Lawson Communications Co-ordinator
ACS
01252 515001
Michael Saxton Grappa
020 7602 9222
Notes to Editors:
1. ACS is the convenience store champion, helping local shops thrive through lobbying, insight, information and commercial services.
2. Jacqui Smith made her comments in an interview in the Daily Mirror. Details can be found at http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/08/23/the-abc-of-beating-yob-crime-89520-19675510/