Tories plan alcohol tax hikes
The Conservative Party plans to increase taxes on some high-strength lagers, cider and Ready To Drink brands as part of a plan to tackle the UK’s binge-drinking culture.
David Cameron (pictured), the Party’s leader, says a Tory Government would look closely at the “unbelievably low prices of some alcohol” in order to tackle the “massive problem” of “drink-related violence and drink-related crime”.
Tory plans include adding £1.30 to the cost of four cans of strong lager, while bottles of high-strength cider costing an extra £1.25 and alcopops an additional 50 pence.
The Tories latest move to tackle problem drinking follows a plan to ban “loss-leader” sales of alcohol in order to curb supermarkets planning cut-price alcohol.
It also recently announced a “three strikes” policy for pubs and clubs, who would lose their licences if found selling alcohol to under-age drinkers.
Cameron’s comments come three months after the Government unveiled proposals for a mandatory code on alcohol, which includes forcing supermarkets to display information on the health impacts of alcohol and a crackdown on “irresponsible” on-trade promotions.
The code, currently under consultation, has come under fire form the on-trade, with the British Beer & Pub Association (BPA) describing the proposals as an “ill conceived” notion that will increase costs during “acutely challenging times”.
