Portman Group slates Scotland's plans to "demonize" alcohol

The Portman Group has become the latest drinks organisation to speak out about the Scottish government's plans to ban off-sales to under 21's and introduce minimum pricing.

The group, which acts as the social responsibility body for UK drinks producers, says that plans to "demonize" alcohol in the country won't solve the nation's alcohol problems. It claims that countries adopting a similar approach have failed to achieve any significant reduction in alcohol misuse and that attempting to tackle problems by raising prices or restricting availability would be untargeted, unfair and ineffective.

David Poley, chief executive of the Portman Group, said: "The myth is that levels of drinking and alcohol misuse are worse in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. In reality, Scots drink less than people in the rest of Britain and are no more likely to be drinking harmfully.

"Problems of alcohol misuse in Scotland will not be solved by turning alcohol into a social taboo and demonizing drink. There is a considerable risk that this would actually increase the appeal of alcohol to young people in particular.

"Setting a minimum price for alcohol would penalise hard-working Scots. People who claim that low prices are to blame for misuse among children miss the point; it is illegal for under-18s to buy alcohol. A sustained programme of enforcement activity will tackle this problem. It makes far more sense to enforce the current law robustly than to raise the legal purchase age."

He added that education had made a "huge difference" to drink driving attitudes and behaviour over the past 30 years in the UK. "Education can have a similar impact on our harmful drinking culture, provided that it is combined with proper enforcement of the law," he said.

The government proposals, which are part of a Health Bill announced by Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond last week, are subject to an ongoing consultation on alcohol misuse in the country. If they are agreed upon, the new laws upon could come into force next year.

So far a number of drinks organisations have slammed the proposals, including the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) and Diageo.

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