SUPERMARKETS have been accused of fuelling binge drinking by slashing the price of alcohol as the cost of basic foodstuffs soars.
Figures published yesterday revealed that while the price of a range of kitchen staples has risen by almost 20 per cent over a year, the cost of alcohol is falling.
Alcopops, cider and strong lager have all come down in price and, coupled with
wide promotion of two-for-one offers on “party packs”, this has led to criticism that supermarkets are encouraging people to drink too much.
The latest figures, from
mysupermarket.com, a price-comparison website, have led to renewed calls from alcohol campaigners for ministers to take action against the way the high-street retail giants discount alcohol.
Tackling Scotland’s booze culture is a priority for the SNP administration and in the past Kenny MacAskill, the justice secretary, has said he wants to stop the over-promotion of alcohol.
However, the government has conceded there is little it can do to take on the supermarkets, which rely on special offers on drink to bring customers through the door.
The latest figures from the price-comparison site show Carlsberg Lager has fallen in price at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and online supermarket Ocado over the past 12 months.
Tesco is now selling a 12-pack of Carlsberg for £6.76 – a year ago it cost £7.99. The price of alcopop brand Smirnoff Ice has also fallen across the board, with the Asda price for a four-pack going down from £4.37 to £3.47 – a drop of 20.6 per cent.
Prices for strong cider and Australian wine have also decreased, with two litres of Strongbow down 6.8 per cent at Sainsbury’s, with the price falling from £3.09 to £2.88.
In contrast, the price of food has risen across the board, with steep rises in bread and dairy products over the past year.
Figures last month showed that over the 12 months to May, the cost of basic foodstuffs rose by 19.1 per cent.
During that time, the cost of an iceberg lettuce from Tesco rose from 49p to 99p. A loaf of white, sliced bread from Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s rose by an average of 20.4 per cent. Butter also rose significantly, with Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s own-brand butter all rising by 62.1 per cent.
A spokeswoman for the Royal College of Physicians said it viewed the latest figures with alarm. “Alcohol is not a commodity like food – it does major harm and causes a huge amount of illness and death,” she said.
“The college and the Alcohol Health Alliance want to stop supermarkets being able to discount alcohol or put on special promotions, which lead them to sell alcohol at below-cost prices.
“We also need to do as much as possible to keep alcohol out of the hands of children and young people.”
Frank Soodeen, a spokesman for Alcohol Concern, said: “As long as supermarkets are prepared to use cheap alcohol as a bribe, the rates of misuse and illness are going to rise.”
All four retailers yesterday denied low prices fuelled binge drinking. Sainsbury’s said the “vast majority” of examples in the report were short-term promotions. Tesco pointed out most customers bought alcohol as part of a weekly shop.
An Asda spokeswoman insisted its customers drank sensibly and it was a responsible retailer. Waitrose said it never sold alcohol below cost price.
The full article contains 595 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
