Over-zealous checking of younger shoppers' ages penalises the innocent, civil liberties group claims. Constant ID checks in supermarkets and off-licences are "infantilising" young adults and confusing shoppers about legal age limits, a report by a civil liberties group claims today. The survey by the Manifesto Club suggests that cashiers' over-zealous questioning of customers in their 20s is "penalising thousands of innocent" people and forcing them to carry their passports all the time - The Guardian
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon today announced the Scottish Government's proposed minimum price for alcohol would be 45p per unit. And she claimed the health benefits achieved by such a figure were in some cases almost twice those predicted for the 40p per unit price which the government has quoted as an illustration in the debate on the issue up until now. Ms Sturgeon said minimum pricing would save lives, save money and save future generations from the harm and misery caused by alcohol misuse - The Scotsman
Government austerity measures are forcing British drinkers to cut back on expensive spirits, according to results from booze group Pernod Ricard. It says the UK remains a weak spot, along with Spain, Greece and Ireland. However, demand from emerging markets helped Pernod post net profits of €951 million (£791.6 million) for the year to the end of June, up 1% on a year earlier - Evening Standard
Two illegal immigrants were caught trying to enter the UK on a beer-filled lorry bound for Gloucestershire. A sniffer dog alerted its handler to the pair, both Indian nationals, at the port of Calais on Friday. A UK Border Agency spokesman said its officers then discovered them among boxes of beer - BBC