Off-licences warn of price link to alcohol abuse

The off-licence trade has accused the Government of encouraging alcohol abuse by causing a flood of cheap alcohol into the shops.

The chairman of the National Off-Licence Association, Jim McCabe, said yesterday that in failing to exclude alcohol as part of the ban on below-cost selling of grocery goods, the Government had acted in a "grossly irresponsible" manner.

"Alcohol should have been excluded when the Groceries Order was rescinded in 2006, and the Government's failure to do so resulted in an all-out cut-price war between the major multiples and discount stores in the pre-Christmas period".

Mr McCabe was speaking at the presentation of the off-licence of the year awards.

"It is recognised by leading international experts that widespread availability of cheap alcohol is a major factor in encouraging alcohol abuse and what transpired on the Irish market in the lead-up to Christmas represented a flood of cheap alcohol, as the large international chains sought to win market share."

Mr McCabe said that the association had repeatedly warned Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, and his officials, that such a price war was inevitable, following the removal of the ban on selling alcohol below cost.

"Regrettably, our warnings were ignored and what resulted was an intolerable situation. For the Government to pay so much lip service to the need to tackle the alcohol abuse problem in Ireland, while at the same time creating the environment that facilitated a drinks price war, is nothing short of hypocritical."

He said that the association had adopted a policy of responsible trading as a practical means of tackling alcohol abuse head- on.

"All members of the association must demonstrate their commitment to preventing underage drinking and secondary purchasing, and all new applicants for membership of the association must complete a responsible trading in the community programme before being accepted.

"Our association is leading the way in tackling alcohol abuse in a realistic manner. We regard it as totally unacceptable that the Government is working to an agenda that merely serves to defeat our efforts in dealing with such a serious national issue."