observer Posted September 28, 2010 Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 It seems the super-markets stand to pocket ?700million IF minimum pricing is brought in on booze sales. Errm, why don't the Gov just increase the tax on booze, thus the getting some revenue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted September 28, 2010 Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 Because tax is levied on drinks as a flat rate based on the type of drink (x pence on a bottle of wine, y pounds on a bottle of whisky, etc.) with little regard to its retail price or actual alcohol content. So there's exactly the same tax on a ?3 bottle of wine as on a ?30 one. From the point of view of controlling anti-social problem drinking the idea of a minimum unit price for alcohol is even dafter. It would significantly increase the cost of a bottle of wine, slightly increase the cost of a bottle of whisky (both of which products tend to be drunk responsibly and at home) but not affect the cost of alco-pops or premium strength bottled lagers at alll. It's based on the assumption that anti-social drinkers only ever spend their money on the highest alcohol content they can get for their pound. Anyone who's ever worked behind a town centre bar or looked at what the kids hanging around on street corners are drinking, knows this is simply not true. Young problem drinkers are as image conscious about what they drink as young people are about evrything else. Generally they are drinking exactly the alco-pops and premium bottled lagers which would be unaffected by this proposal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted September 28, 2010 Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 Good post inky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2010 Put simply, if they can tax petrol and fags, they can tax booze - presumably, some whiz in Gov can come up with legislation that does tax alcho-pops etc more, whilst leaving wine and mild/bitter alone. My concern however is, that IF booze is to cost more, it shouldn't be extra profit for the s/markets but extra revenue for cash strapped Gov. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted September 29, 2010 Report Share Posted September 29, 2010 Couple of things here - they already tax booze. And secondly, you're actually suggesting the government should tax us more? Are you wise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 The minimum pricing for booze is being considered by the Scots Parliament (remember - they were first with the smoking ban ), which then raises the issue of it either going to the s/markets in extra profit OR the Gov boosting it's revenue intake. The Gov WILL be increasing taxes (as well as cutting public services) as part of it's austerity prog - so it doesn't matter what I think - we'll all be paying more, and getting less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted September 30, 2010 Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Bit behind the times there Obs, the Scottish MSPs threw out the proposal over a week ago. http://www.uknetguide.co.uk/Latest-News/Minimum-alcohol-price-plans-defeated-by-MSPs-800078853.html The Health minister may say that she is determined to "resurrect" the plan (which is kind of another way of acknowledging that it's already dead), but the lack of any information confirming or denying whether the money generated will simply go into the supermarkets pockets will ensure that the result will be the same next time round too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted September 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Sorry Ink, I don't keep a close eye on matters north of the border - my point however, was who should be getting the money, IF they were to take this route? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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