Alcohol advice to be displayed at PoS
The Government is set to call for pubs to display notices at the bar to educate customers about safe drinking.
The proposal is not included in the final voluntary agreement with Government, announced on Monday, to give consumers better information about the content of alcoholic drinks.
A source close to the discussions, however, told the MA that ministers are still keen on the idea and are set to push it further.
Alcohol campaigners, including Alcohol Concern, have said that people who buy drinks by the glass at bars will not receive the same information and advice they get from bottles and cans.
The source said: "The original proposal with Caroline Flint (the health minister) was concerned with labelling and point-of-sale material. Because they needed a quick win they felt it was easier to tackle drinks labels first.
"I think that very rapidly the industry will be asked to consider point-of-sale. People will be very naive if they don't think point-of-sale in the on and off-trade will be a requirement.
"Nobody got as far as to discuss what the point of sale would look like. It could be product specific or include general advice."
He suggested that point-of-sale notices could be recommended in the updated Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, which is to be released in the next few weeks.
David Hamer, licensee of the Fox & Grapes in Chorley, Lancashire, said: "I think it's fair enough that people understand what they are drinking.
"The one thing that does worry me is the number of signs we are expected to display."
