BBPA comments on alcohol policy

6th August 2008, 3:15pm

Tougher laws could be on the cards for the alcohol industry following a major consultation about England's drinking culture, launched by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo last month. Mark Hastings, The British Beer & Pub Association director of communications, responded to this statement.

"The Government's approach should be to address the underlying culture and change attitudes, not just legislate and regulate. Legislation is a sledgehammer that will not crack the nut.

"There also needs to be the right balance between individual and corporate responsibility. We expect to be held to account for those things we can control, but companies cannot and should not be held to account for individual choices and behaviours that are beyond their ability to control.

"This is an industry that already bears the burden of one the heaviest tax and regulatory regimes in the world.

"With the economy in a precarious position, business under pressure, pubs closing at record rates and people feeling the pinch, now is not the time to be announcing a raft of new costs, regulations and restrictions on either businesses or individuals. The inevitable impact of such measures is to force up costs and prices and push more pubs towards penury.

"This seems to be a classic example of the Government's tendency towards announcing new laws, rather than enforcing existing ones. There are plenty of laws and regulations to deal with irresponsible pubs and people. All agencies, including local government and the police should first focus on how to ensure these are enforced with greater rigour and consistency.

"We will look at the proposals and respond further when we have had a chance to consider them in detail.

"The public believes the main issue in relation to alcohol is deep discounting in supermarkets. We will consider these proposals on the extent to which these issues are tackled in an equitable way between pubs and supermarkets.

"Unfortunately, some of the figures used are not on a scientifically sound basis and we will be highlighting those which seem to be designed to deliberately show the industry in a negative light.

"It is particularly disappointing the Government does not acknowledge the contribution this sector currently makes:

• More than £26 billion in tax a year

• Establishing and £15 million of funding for the Drinkaware Trust – promoted on 3 billion drinks containers and in £150 million of advertising in 2007

• Unit labelling and responsibility messaging on 90 per cent of beer bottles and cans

• £60 million a year donated to local community projects and programmes

• £120 million a year raised for charity.

"The Government seems to have ignored hard evidence from the repeated Government sting operations which have visited thousands of pubs in recent years. Those reports, while identifying some problems, have tracked consistent improvement in standards and high levels of good practice – more than 90 per cent of pubs have been found to be totally compliant with existing laws, regulations and standards.

 

On underage sales, the hard data is very positive:

• 1 million people a month are being refused service because they are underage or have no ID.

• teenage drinking rates have fallen to the lowest level for 20 years and the amount they drink is also down.

• 91 per cent of 18-24 year olds know about the industry's Challenge 21 scheme. They say they are now asked for ID much more than a year ago (32%) and find it difficult to get served without ID (30%).

• The pub sector is investing £5 million a year in communicating, training and support for Challenge 21.

"On promotions, the industry is being criticised for failing to do something that is against the law - enforce promotions standards. The Government know that while individual pub companies operate responsibility policies within their own business, it is illegal under competition law either for companies or trade associations to seek to apply or enforce agreements on promotions across the sector."

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