Alcohol Concern has supported the duty increase on alcohol confirmed in the Budget.
Alcohol duty is set to rise 2% over the rate of inflation – a measure announced in last year’s Budget, this year and for the next three years.
Evidence shows that higher prices lower people’s consumption of alcohol – especially among high risk groups – and ease the strain on health and police services.
The charity is also supporting the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation to introduce minimum price legislation for alcohol. Such a move would stop supermarkets absorbing duty increases and continuing to sell alcohol as a loss-leader, leaving the pub industry unable to compete with deep discounting and multi-buy promotions.
Such a move would see a dramatic reduction in alcohol related crime, hospital admissions and lost workplace productivity, while having only a negligible financial effect on moderate drinkers.
Don Shenker, Alcohol Concern Chief Executive, said:
“Over the past twenty years successive governments stood by as alcohol became progressively more affordable.
“The end result is that we now drink far more than our parents ever did and have seen a dramatic increase in alcohol-related deaths and a high level of alcohol-related crime and disorder.
“The burden on our health service and police forces is unacceptable. Alcohol misuse costs our economy around £25 billion per year.
“Increasing tax on alcohol would be a positive first step towards tackling this country’s alcohol problems.
“But supermarkets should not be allowed to absorb duty increases and continue to deep discount and sell alcohol at a loss – introducing a minimum price for alcohol will allow pubs and bars to compete on a level playing field.
Alcohol Concern