'Do more about pocket-money priced booze' (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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'Do more about pocket-money priced booze'
11:34am Friday 14th September 2012 in News
ALCOHOL continues to be sold at pocketmoney prices across the North-East despite the impact it is having on health, crime and the wider economy, a price survey has revealed.
The results of the survey coincided with research by Drinkaware which showed that 84 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds in the region think it is acceptable to get drunk in front of workmates and 67 per cent admit they have done something they regret as a result of drinking too much after work.
Balance, the North-East alcohol office, has conducted a snapshot survey across the region’s supermarkets and found that alcohol is available for as little as 19p a unit.
Although this is higher than a previous price survey last November, which found alcohol on sale from as little as 12p per unit, it means a man can still drink his recommended daily limit (three to four units) for only 76p and a woman can drink at her daily limit (two to three units) for only 57p – well below the average weekly pocket money allowance of £6.25.
Balance is calling for more to be done to protect young people from alcohol harm, which includes introducing a minimum unit price on alcohol. This is being supported by the UK Youth Parliament.
When visiting stores and shopping online the survey found cider from as little as 19p a unit, Lambrini from 22p a unit and lager from as little as 28p a unit.
Colin Shevills, director of Balance, said: “It is frustrating and irresponsible that alcohol continues to be sold at such low prices to sell more and increase profits, regardless of our children’s health and welfare.
“We need to do more. A key part of the solution is the introduction of a minimum unit price, which the Government has backed and will consult on later this year.”
Comments(3)
dawn patrol
says...
8:19pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Homshaw1
says...
10:23pm Fri 14 Sep 12
dawn patrol wrote:It's probably the marginal smoker that are detered by the price. The addicts by definiton find the money same as drug users.
People are smoking less,and i know a few alcoholics who are convinced they don't drink "all that much".
Alcoholics by nature lie about the amount they drink but there are countless people who drink responsibly and in moderation and it is wrong to penalise them
There was a lady lived near me who would get her dole money for two weeks, blow it on booze in the first few days and would beg for food until her next dole cheque came
Higher prices wouldn't have helped her. She died from drink.
What was noticable was there was no system in place to pick up people who had a problem and there was no one there to help her.
Increasing the price will simply give more money to retailers, disadvantage ordinary non-addicted people who seem to get penalised at every turn and do nothing to solve the problem.
It's a pathetic approach. If they are serious about both drinking and smoking why not ban them altogether. Easy answer because the duplicitious politicians want the cash
Homshaw1 says...
5:39pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Why should a person who likes two or three cans of large and a pizza on a Friday night pay more because some people can not control themselves?