Alcohol problems - is price the answer?

[RobM]

Listening to Radio5 today, the debate was whether alcohol is a) too cheap and b) too easy to get. One suggestion was to make drink prices relate to the units of alcohol in them (a unit is measured by alcohol percentage multiplied by volume in litres e.g. half-litre of Stella would be 5.2(%)x0.5litres = 2.6 units).
So the cheap strong cider (white lightning I think it's called) would be 8(%) x 0.5 = 4 units a can. Idea was to have a cost of 35p per unit so that cider would be £1.40 instead of 79p (round here). Good idea?

 

[Napster]

Not really. More regulation. More Nanny state, more competition interference.

What is interesting, is this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baclofen

Needs more research though.

 

[Mad Cyril]

I would hate to see any legislation that would undermine our reputation as a nation of binge drinking troublemakers.

Part of me feels proud that on the continent an English male with a drink in his hand is viewed with the same fear and suspicion as a column of German tanks parked just the other side of the border.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Continued increase in cigarette prices hasn't put people off smoking too much, if people want to do it they still will. The addiction side of it is certainly interesting, but I've said it before, it's the way society is in this country that needs to change.

 

[McNasty]

The Spread is one of the most expensive pubs in town , according to research, but people will still go there and buy beer so I don't think price plays a massive part in it, people go there for the hospitality of the staff and because their friends go there.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Someone was saying on said discussion this morning that kids in Glasgow used to drink Irn Bru spiked with furniture polish before alcohol became so cheap. :puke

Heavy drinking is in our Anglo-Saxons genes and its the typical moral panic from middle England who look at France and their cafe culture and wonder why the towns of England can't be more like Lille or St. Ettienne.

Give kids something to do rather than hanging around drinking cheap cider - open youth clubs and projects.

 

[BalmainShrimper]

In Australia last year the government raised taxes on ready to drink alcopops (Bacardi Breezers etc) in an effort to curb youth binge drinking.

Result: sales of alcopops decline, sales of hard liquor and mixers increase. The kid's ain't dumb - they can do the maths!

It's not about price, it's about education...

 

[Gremlin]

The Spread is one of the most expensive pubs in town , according to research, but people will still go there and buy beer so I don't think price plays a massive part in it, people go there for the hospitality of the staff and because their friends go there.

Don't forget the wonderful smells and attractive decor.

 

[londonblue]

Listening to Radio5 today, the debate was whether alcohol is a) too cheap and b) too easy to get. One suggestion was to make drink prices relate to the units of alcohol in them (a unit is measured by alcohol percentage multiplied by volume in litres e.g. half-litre of Stella would be 5.2(%)x0.5litres = 2.6 units).
So the cheap strong cider (white lightning I think it's called) would be 8(%) x 0.5 = 4 units a can. Idea was to have a cost of 35p per unit so that cider would be £1.40 instead of 79p (round here). Good idea?

I also heard the article on 5 Live. The professor they interviewed (I think he was a professor) was very clear. Price makes a huge difference to the amount of alcohol consumed. Every study has proved the point. As he also said, the only people that deny that are people that haven't read or conducted any studies. He said it is a known fact world wide.

Nicky Campbell also asked him why decent people should have to pay more. His answer was very interesting. He said that it would be a small price to pay to give the Police more time to deal with real issues, and to free up time in A&E departments. In the long run that would save us all money.

 

[Napster]

I also heard the article on 5 Live. The professor they interviewed (I think he was a professor) was very clear. Price makes a huge difference to the amount of alcohol consumed. Every study has proved the point. As he also said, the only people that deny that are people that haven't read or conducted any studies. He said it is a known fact world wide.

Sounds a bit pompous to me. I bet he's a medical professor, as he will know that this relates to price-demand elasticity and as such, it's not that clear...

 

[londonblue]

Sounds a bit pompous to me. I bet he's a medical professor, as he will know that this relates to price-demand elasticity and as such, it's not that clear...

I couldn't say. I'm not actually sure he was a professor...However, if every study ever conducted shows that an increase in price leads to lower consumption then there must be some truth in it.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Just means the alcholics will be like junkies, rob, rape, murder, just to get a drink!!

 

[Firestorm]

.

Nicky Campbell also asked him why decent people should have to pay more. His answer was very interesting. He said that it would be a small price to pay to give the Police more time to deal with real issues, and to free up time in A&E departments. In the long run that would save us all money.

But as decent people generally don't drink Supermarket white lightening or Tesco own brand vodka its largely not going to be an issue.

If cheap alcohol is banned or the prices jacked up significantly, the regular pub drinker will not be affected, however the "must drink as much as possible for a fiver regardless of the taste" crowd may well have to give their liver etc a bit of a rest

 

[londonblue]

But as decent people generally don't drink Supermarket white lightening or Tesco own brand vodka its largely not going to be an issue.

If cheap alcohol is banned or the prices jacked up significantly, the regular pub drinker will not be affected, however the "must drink as much as possible for a fiver regardless of the taste" crowd may well have to give their liver etc a bit of a rest

That's a fair point. Either way, a price rise will stop excess drinking by the people that can only just afford it at the moment...

 

[MK Shrimper]

That's a fair point. Either way, a price rise will stop excess drinking by the people that can only just afford it at the moment...

I doubt it. They'll just go further into debt.

 

[Mad Cyril]

But as decent people generally don't drink Supermarket white lightening or Tesco own brand vodka its largely not going to be an issue.

If cheap alcohol is banned or the prices jacked up significantly, the regular pub drinker will not be affected, however the "must drink as much as possible for a fiver regardless of the taste" crowd may well have to give their liver etc a bit of a rest

Waitrose do an 'own brand' super strength lager. It's presence is noticeably absent from Waitrose promotional material.

 

[Napster]

I doubt it. They'll just go further into debt.

How dare they? This is unlike you, MK.

Best bet is to stop giving licenses out to every shop in the area and make supermarkets adopt a 21 and over approach.

Of course, that's too commonsense.

The trouble is, increasing prices is a lose-lose approach - the consumers lose, the drinks businesses lose and the retailers lose.

 

[Napster]

One study here thinks I;m right

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2006/01/04/Study_says_high_prices_dont_cut_drinking/UPI-76291136387697/

 

[MK Shrimper]

How dare they? This is unlike you, MK.

Best bet is to stop giving licenses out to every shop in the area and make supermarkets adopt a 21 and over approach.

Of course, that's too commonsense.

The trouble is, increasing prices is a lose-lose approach - the consumers lose, the drinks businesses lose and the retailers lose.

Just stating a fact. If people are addicted to alcohol they'll find a way to pay for it.

 

[Pubey]

if anyone could dig out the name of the Professor I'd be really interested... my department did the major Alcohol DH project that was published a few months ago