ACS

ACS has reacted to the Health Select Committee report into Alcohol. The Committee of MPs have recommended a range of measures to restrict price, availability and marketing of alcohol. The recommendations include legislation to introduce a minimum price of 40p per unit and regulations to restrict alcohol siting to one aisle per store.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We believe partnership working and education are the best ways to create real change in the cultural attitudes to alcohol. Community based Alcohol Partnerships have shown what can be achieved when retailers work in partnership with their local communities to tackle alcohol related problems.”

On the Committee’s recommendation to introduce a 40p Minimum Pricing per unit of alcohol and the possibilities of other promotional restrictions:

“An introduction of minimum price per unit would have limited impact on local shops, who are not able to offer those very low cost promotions. However any regulation that would restrict the price of alcohol must be based on evidence that it would be effective in tackling the problem drinkers. It is important that measures do not harm the vast majority of consumers who drink sensibly.”

“The other promotional restrictions would increase bureaucracy for local shops. There should not be any further regulations unless there is clear evidence that these measures would be effective in reducing the alcohol related harms caused by the small minority of problem drinkers.”