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Asda case study: 'I think alcohol is cheaper than ever these days'

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Published Date: 23 July 2010
Ysabelle Thackray and her friends Megan Landa and Bethany Singh Landa are in Asda getting stocked up for the Wickerman Festival this weekend.
They aren't normally Asda shoppers, but they have come to the outlet at the Jewel in Edinburgh to buy alcohol because of the supermarket's reputation for discount deals.

"We don't usually come to Asda but we have come to buy stuff for the festival
because it is so cheap," says Bethany, from the Grange in Edinburgh, who works for a company that designs websites.

She doesn't think it's a good thing that Asda has pledged to make items such as milk loss leaders instead of alcohol. "That's no good - I don't need milk," she says.

Retired Marion Robertson, from Rosewell, Midlothian, is buying drink for a barbecue. "I do think alcohol is cheaper than ever these days, but that's a good thing because everyone is watching their pennies.

"But it will be a shame if higher prices mean people on benefits won't be able to get their tipple."

Her friend Lynne Preston, a property manager from Tranent, thinks there are still plenty of deals to be had. "If they have put their prices up it is still a lot cheaper than elsewhere."

Lisa Rooney, a carer from Tranent, believes people are increasingly buying alcohol to drink at home to save money. "It's getting dearer and dearer to have a drink outside."

She doesn't think higher prices will deter underage drinkers. "I think if kids are going to buy alcohol they will get hold of it. In my day you got 50p pocket money -- nowadays it is £20."

Retired Ian Smith, from Portobello, is filling his trolley with wine from the three for £12 section. "Some of these wines are very reasonable. If we've tried them before and we like them we'll pick them up when they are on special offer."

He doesn't think the pledge not to use alcohol as a loss leader will make a lot of difference. "I think competition between the big supermarkets - Tesco Asda and Morrisons is still going to mean there will be a lot of deals around."

Meanwhile, Belgians Geoffrey De Coppin and Tanya Lessines, far from being impressed by Asda's cheap deals, are surprised at how expensive everything is in the UK.

Ms Lessines said: "I think it is definitely cheaper in Belgium. There is the odd thing which is cheaper here but on the whole prices here are higher."

They plan to move to Edinburgh in a month's time. She says: "I don't think the price of alcohol will put us off - we are not big drinkers."

However council worker Keith Sutherland and Starbucks employee Laurie Tait are disappointed to hear the cheap deals are coming to an end.

But Ms Tait says she doesn't think the changes will make young people change their lifestyles: "I think people will just start buying really cheap cider and stuff like that."



Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 23 July 2010 5:28 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Charles Linskaill,

Edinburgh 23/07/2010 00:37:45
Lisa Rooney, a carer from Tranent,
"doesn't think higher prices will deter underage drinkers"
Lisa Rooney does not need to think about this, because she is absolutely correct!


2

Jason,

Japan 23/07/2010 01:42:38
Alcoholic beverage is pretty cheap, too.
We've got cheap booze here in Japan, but not your social problems.
3

Charles Linskaill,

Edinburgh 23/07/2010 02:22:32
~2.
Jason,
"We've got cheap booze here in Japan, but not your social problems"
EXACTLY!,

We The Muppet's do not understand that 'cheap booze' is not our problem, Culture and Education are needed addressed!
Expensive Booze or Give it Away, those who abuse will always do-so, those who do not abuse Booze, will only suffer because Government are deluded in understanding the problem, So called 'Educated People' who have Never Lived Life as It Is!







4

Am Miorbhuil nan Mac an Rothaich,

23/07/2010 02:52:21
Minimum pricing will only reduce the frequency with which people can afford to abuse alcohol. It will not prevent those who are intent on misusing alcohol any less inclined to do so.

All that will result is people stocking up on as much alcohol as they can afford when they get payed. It will probably have the additional consequences of people neglecting responsibilities in order to purchase their booze.

It will never dissuade people from drinking excessively.
5

Soshman,

23/07/2010 04:03:27
I need a drink after reading that article.

I have to assume that the quotes from these empty-headers quoted above are accurate and if so...

...are these people truly deranged?

6

David MacLeod of Barra,

23/07/2010 07:58:08
2
Jason

You are quite right. Thing is you have a society - we don't.

You deal in terms of self respect and respect for others. We voted labour who systematically dismantled our society.
7

Front Street,

Grange Court 23/07/2010 09:00:31
Competition is the name of the game. Other supermarkets will undercut Asda and then it will be 'game on'.
8

Nitpicking,

Edinburgh 23/07/2010 10:08:45
The drinks culture and lack of education about alcohol are the problems, not pricing.
Trouble is it would cost Government more to address the cultural/educational aspect then to increase price of alcohol therefore their concentration on unit pricing. Cheap option that will not address the root cause of the problem but would affect the responsible drinker unfairly.
9

The Nearly Doctor,

Edinburgh 23/07/2010 11:11:36
Charles - we all already foot the bill for others' drinking habits, to the tune of 3-4 billion pounds a year. A&E units at hospitals, additional policing - and all the associated paperwork. We also pay for it in terms of quality of life; think how many people put up with screaming, braying drunk young mobs at nighht, absolutely blitzed on alcohol. Think of who's going to pay for their medical care when they get into their 30s and having failing livers.

Making alcohol less available, raising the price -- might end up being cheaper, perverse as it may seem. Taxes spent on managing the alcohol problem could be spent on our things, or even better, not taken from us in the first place.

Education on its own hasn't worked; self-regulation of retailers hasn't worked; it's time to try something else.
10

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 23/07/2010 12:48:58
"I do think alcohol is cheaper than ever these days, but that's a good thing because everyone is watching their pennies."

Absolutely spot on.
11

Drew Kit,

23/07/2010 13:01:10
Alcohol might be cheaper per unit than in the past, but because our society is more unjust and brutal we are are having to drink far more of it.
12

fife runner,

23/07/2010 13:32:51
so long as idiots in our country say you cannot have a good night without booze or boast of their exploits the night before you can try all the education you like and it will not work. Motorists are educated as to what is right and wrong but still need the stick at times. so dearer alcohol is the stick.

how long can the NHS cope with the illnesses and alcohol fuelled incidents.

we all pay for the extra policing, NHS costs etc through taxes , so the sensible drinker pays through extra taxation or dearer booze. SO we pay anyway one way or another.

also , the smokers who said the ban was shutting pubs should now support dearer supermarket booze as it is costing their dear pubs trade and ultimately closures. of course they won't as it was a smokescreen all the time.
13

english charlie,

23/07/2010 14:33:50
#12. Why should those smokers want to support dearer supermarket booze, when most of them are drinking more at home since the smoking ban?

 

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