Lib Dem Cllr Mark Alcock calls time on super cheap booze in Oldham Borough

5.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 20th Oct 2009

Liberal Democrat Cllr Mark Alcock, is calling time on supermarket alcohol promotions. Responding to research by the North West health campaign, Our Life, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Oldham West & Royton inc Chadderton, Cllr Mark Alcock called on supermarkets to stop selling alcohol as cheap as 14 p per unit.

The research launched during this week's Alcohol Awareness week highlight's prices as low as £1.21 for a two-litre bottle of strong cider in three leading supermarkets. Mark Alcock commented;

"At £1.21 most supermarkets are selling cider cheaper than Coca Cola and water. This irresponsible retailing is fuelling ill health, crime and family breakdown in the North West."

The Lib Dems are calling for the Government to introduce a minimum price for alcohol sales of 50p per unit. Evidence from Sheffield University shows that this would target those that drink above moderate levels without penalising moderate drinkers. At 50p per unit a 2-litre bottle of cider would rise to £4.20 but a can of Carling would be 90p and the average pint in the pub would be no more than £1.50, protecting health and the local pub.

Alcohol harm costs the NHS in the North West £400m per year and hospital admissions due to alcohol have risen by 69% in the last five years.

Notes:

Alcohol is now 75% more affordable than in 1980

Home drinking in England increased by 18% between 1987 and 1997

The crime and disorder costs of alcohol are £7.3bn per year in England

Department of Health statistics reveal that alcohol related deaths increased by 19% between 2001 and 2007

Our Life's Big Drink Debate last year reached 30,000 people across the North West.

It found that 80% of people thought that price did affect their consumption of alcohol

45% of people were afraid to go into their town centres at weekends

The Scottish Government are proposing to legislate for a minimum price of 40p per unit

Sheffield University predicts that a minimum price of 40p per save the NHS in England and Wales £25m per year, save £17m on fighting crime and save 1,318 lives per year.

Our Life is publishing research during Alcohol Awareness Week which illustrates the supermarkets aggressive promotion of alcohol

For more information about Our Life or the mystery shopper report, contact: calum.irving@ourlife.org.uk, tel. 0161 237 2138.