BBPA chief Brigid Simmonds warns MPs over effectiveness of alcohol minimum pricing
Speaking at the parliamentary Health Select Committee investigation into the Government Alcohol Strategy, Simmonds raised concern that heavy drinkers would not be influenced to drink less by an increase in the price of alcohol.
She told MPs: “The question is whether minimum pricing as a whole population measure is going to be the most effective and what we are interested in is targeted measures that deal with those heaviest drinkers.
She added: “Minimum pricing is unlikely to affect the behaviour of those that drink the most is where the problem lies.”
She also raised concern about the longer term effect of a minimum pricing strategy claiming that it could mean even more increased taxation of the beer and pub sector. “There is a real danger that the Treasury will suddenly have a black hole because people buy less alcohol and they will want to therefore put duty up. We have seen a 42% increase in duty over four years,” she said.
“In community pubs 68% of what they sell is still beer and taxation is a huge issue for our industry. Bearing in mind 95% of what we are drinking in this country in terms of beer is produced here it is a big manufacturing sector.”
She said while the industry has different opinions on minimum pricing the one thing it agrees on is that a ban on below cost selling with an element of production costs will work better to target discounted alcohol pricing. She also said it was not the mooted price of 40p a unit which concerned the pub and beer trade.
“You have to look at something like Air Passenger Duty,” she told the committee. “You introduce a tax like that and there is an irresistible decision that you will go on putting it up. It’s the principle, the industry doesn’t believe the Government should be setting the price.”
The industry has taken positive steps against binge-drinking through a range of initiatives including Business Improvement Districts, Best Bar None and Pubwatch, she told the committee.
