What the Sunday papers said

Scottish & Newcastle will next month become the first major brewer in the world to put general health warnings on beer bottles. The initiative will go beyond current government policy aimed at combating binge drinking, and will be similar to health warnings on cigarette packets. The company's warnings will be headed "UK Alcohol Units" and contain a message saying: "Responsible drinkers don't exceed three to four units a day for men, two to three for women." - The Sunday Telegraph ​

Diageo chief executive Paul Walsh is expected to tell investors this week that up to half of the £1.2bn proceeds raised by the drinks giant from the sales of its shares in General Mills, the American food group, will be used to finance a buyback. Walsh intends to use some of the proceeds to reduce debt and top up the group's pension fund. But analysts who will be attending this week's annual meeting say at least £500m will be put aside to buy back shares - The Sunday Times​

Along with China and Russia, the highly fragmented German beer market is on Inbev chief executive John Brock's radar screen. Inbev has between €3bn and €4bn available to fund acquisitions without damaging its investment-grade debt rating - The Sunday Times​

John Greenway, chairman of the joint committee on the draft Gambling Bill, which approved the ending of restrictions on casinos, is in the running to head the Gambling Commission, which will award the lucrative casino licences. As its head, he would play a key role in deciding whether to unleash a gambling binge in Britain - The Sunday Times​

Smoking in all restaurants and bars where food is served, inlcuding food pubs, is set to be banned under radical proposals being considered by ministers as an alternative to a full-scale smoking ban in England and Wales. Next month the government will unveil its wide-ranging plans to improve the health of the nation in a white paper. It will put forward proposals to tackle smoking, binge-drinking, obesity and high rates of sexual diseases - The Observer​

A new survey has found that British youth would rather shop than go on a pub crawl. The survey by ukclubculture, an organisation that each year hosts 400 alcohol-free clubbing events nationwide for 800,000 under-18s, paints a picture of young people with financial aspirations, who are brand savvy, make wide and intelligent use of the internet and spend little on alcohol or cigarettes - The Observer​

Yates Group, which has pledged not to run any more "all you can drink" offers as part of a plan to tackle anti-social drinking starting next month, has set a minimum of just £1.25 for a pint of beer, £1 for a measure of spirits, and £1 for a bottled alcopop. Mark Jones, Yates' chief executive, said these were in line with minimum prices imposed in some areas by police and licensing authorities. However, he said minimum prices would also restrict the company from offering two-for-one deals and similar promotions - The Financial Times (weekend edition) ​

Easygoing Inbev chief executive John Brock isn't one to brag, but he makes it clear he doesn't just want to be the world's biggest brewer, he also want to be the best. His goal is to raise Inbev's pretax margin on sales from 25 per cent today to 30 per cent by 2007, which would put it ahead of Anheuser Busch - The Business​

If you are only here for the beer then Scotland is rapidly losing its attraction. Scots pay more for their pint of ale than drinkers in any other part of the UK except the south-east of England, according to latest edition of the imbibers' bible, The Good Pub Guide. The average pint in Scotland costs £2.26, with some pubs nudging the £3 barrier - Scotland on Sunday​