Store’s cheap-booze stance earns praise

Rochdale Borough's director of public health has hailed a supermarket chain for backing Government plans to restrict the sale of cheap alcohol.

The move by Tesco has been applauded by Alan Higgins and other directors of public health in the North-West.

Mr Higgins said: “We are pleased that Tesco has said it would welcome the Government either banning low-cost selling or setting a minimum price per unit.

“Now that Tesco has said it backs these plans, we hope this will have a big influence on other retailers and the government.

“It also shows they are responding to public opinion, with their own survey showing excessive drinking and the anti-social behaviour it causes is one of the public’s most serious concerns.”

The directors of public health have frequently called on supermarkets to stop selling very cheap alcohol, as well as wanting politicians to set a minimum price per unit of alcohol.

Mr Higgins added: “We have been urging supermarkets to take action because we think stopping the sale of very cheap alcohol is one of the most effective ways of reducing the impact of issues related to alcohol such as serious health problems, hospital admissions and crime.”

Hospital admissions due to alcohol have risen by 64 per cent in the North- West in the past five years.

The cost to the NHS in the North-West is £400 million per year for alcohol-related healthcare.

Research from Sheffield University has shown that raising the price of the cheapest alcohol sold would affect overall consumption and would target effectively the consumption of people who drink above moderate levels and underage drinkers.