Supermarkets are facing an unprecedented backlash against their alcohol pricing policies, with senior police and politicians adding to the chorus of disapproval.
Trade leaders have welcomed the shift in focus in blame for binge drinking from pubs and clubs to the off-trade. But they dismissed the idea of banning sales of alcohol to under-21s in shops - and urged the Government not to follow calls to raise the tax on alcohol.
The off-trade has been in the firing line since chief constable of Cheshire Peter Fahy called for a ban on selling to under-21s and a higher tax.
Fahy told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The
problem is the supermarkets, late-night shops and petrol stations. We've got much better control of pubs and clubs - what I'm concerned about is these large groups gathering in parks all drinking."
This week, Merseyside chief constable Bernard Hogan-Howe urged a ban on selling alcohol to under-21s in the off-trade only. He told The Telegraph: "On the whole, pubs and clubs are well policed.
I want to limit the sale of alcohol through off-licences."
Hogan-Howe also called for a reduction in the number of off-licences, as well as increasing "the relative price of alcohol" and reducing the sugar content of drinks.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday the British Medical Association in Wales called for higher alcohol tax, with the increase proportionate to alcoholic content. The Liberal Democrats also called for tougher action against shops that sell alcohol to under-18s (see box).
Bar Entertainment & Dance Association executive director Paul Smith said it was "heartening" that the on-trade has been recognised for getting its house in order.
But he said: "The problem with raising the drinking age to 21 in the off-trade is that it would be very difficult to justify, in the long term, having a two-tier system.
"I don't necessarily see a raising [of the buying age in the off-trade] will do anyone any favours, even though it would be a short-term win for the on-trade. Within six months there would be a tremendous amount of pressure within the health lobby for them to raise the age for the on-trade to 21. That's my worry."
Smith called for "moral pressure" to be applied to the off-trade to stop its heavy discounting of alcohol, as the on-trade has done.
Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations chief executive Tony Payne slated calls for higher alcohol tax. "All that would do is drive people away from the pub and encourage them to buy cheaply from the supermarkets, which are not affected by duty as much."
Payne called for tougher penalties for under-18s who buy alcohol and dismissed calls for raising the drinking age. "It's not been thought through. It's a knee-jerk reaction. What we want is more police on the ground to sort out these people and take proper action."
A British Beer & Pub Association spokesman said: "While nobody wants to see negative coverage around the industry, the increasing focus of the media on anti-social behaviour was bound to focus on the off-trade and it was right to do so because this is where very young people are getting alcohol from."
l MA opinion - p21
"How this will affect the Alcohol Strategy is difficult to say. We hope the Government doesn't rush to judgement about the pub trade."
Liberal democrats call for underage crackdown
The Liberal Democrats have issued a call for a crackdown on underage sales in the off-trade - pointing to figures that show just 67 prosecutions for the crime in the 10 years to 2005.
Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster said: "The Government is burying its head in the sand.
"Since Labour came to power, ministers have systematically failed to enforce the law on shops selling alcohol to children. It is hardly surprising that this problem is getting worse, especially when the law is not properly enforced.
"Labour was more interested in making wholesale changes to Britain's licensing regime than properly addressing the issue of binge drinking. As well as reviewing the current situation, the Government must ensure that licensing authorities enforce existing legislation for those who break the rules.
"The Home Office's own research shows that many businesses simply don't fear prosecution."
Supermarkets' discount deals
The big four supermarket groups sold £112.7m of beer, wines and spirits below cost during last year's World Cup, it has been revealed.
Figures hidden away in a Competition Commission paper into the conduct of supermarkets revealed the staggering level of discounting that occurred.
Of the four supermarkets reporting, Tesco was the worst culprit - admitting to £43.2m of beer and £48.7m of wines and spirits sold below cost.
The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers chief executive Nick Bish said: "These are astonishing figures and demonstrate to us the gross irresponsibility of those companies who have this 'sell it cheap' policy that completely disregards the end use of the alcohol they sell.
"Pubs and bars have been at the centre of claims in the media that they alone are responsible for drink-related, town-centre disorder. In fact, they have exercised considerable restraint, voluntarily clamping down on price-related drinks promotions, focusing on effective door control and preventing underage purchases."