Asda refuses to support minimum pricing bid
Asda will not support government legislation in favour of a minimum price for alcohol, according to its public affairs director Guy Mason. Text
Asda will not support government legislation in favour of a minimum price for alcohol, according to its public affairs director Guy Mason.
Citing a survey of 10,000 people conducted by the supermarket chain, Mason told delegates at the Westminster Health Forum seminar on Alcohol and Responsibility that Asda customers are "overwhelmingly" against the proposal. Sixy-seven percent of customers voted against a minimum pricing policy in the survey.
"We would not welcome minimum pricing as our customers have told us they wouldn't want it. Why are we being asked to punish 80% of our customers because of the behavior of the minority?" said Mason.
Mason added that it was "in (Asda's) DNA" to offer low prices to our customers.
Other delegates at the conference have criticised Asda for its reluctance to end deep discounting. Alcohol Concern's chief executive, Don Shenker, said: "Asda's mission statement is to provide the best price for its consumers. The problem with that is that alcohol is not an ordinary product - it's a psychoactive drug.
"Through supermarkets the people who are most vulnerable to alcohol misuse are able to afford alcohol cheaply. To prevent this we need to look at a strategy for minimum pricing to end irresponsible deep discounting."
Professor Mark Bellis, the director of the centre for public health at Liverpool John Moores University, also called for minimum pricing to be enforced, referring to cheap alcohol in supermarkets as "the cancer at the heart of our drinking problem."
Earlier this month, Labour MP Sally Keeble launched a new private members bill proposing a minimum price on alcohol.
Under the new plans, a Drinks Industry Council (DIC) would be created, comprised of representatives from the industry, producers, police, health care, youth sector and consumers. The DIC would advise Government on a minimum price for a unit of alcohol, promotions and set codes of conduct.
Should Asda come under fire for refusing to support a minimum pricing policy? Have your say in our comments section.
Asda will not support government legislation in favour of a minimum price for alcohol, according to its public affairs director Guy Mason.
Citing a survey of 10,000 people conducted by the supermarket chain, Mason told delegates at the Westminster Health Forum seminar on Alcohol and Responsibility that Asda customers are "overwhelmingly" against the proposal. Sixy-seven percent of customers voted against a minimum pricing policy in the survey.
"We would not welcome minimum pricing as our customers have told us they wouldn't want it. Why are we being asked to punish 80% of our customers because of the behavior of the minority?" said Mason.
Mason added that it was "in (Asda's) DNA" to offer low prices to our customers.
Other delegates at the conference have criticised Asda for its reluctance to end deep discounting. Alcohol Concern's chief executive, Don Shenker, said: "Asda's mission statement is to provide the best price for its consumers. The problem with that is that alcohol is not an ordinary product - it's a psychoactive drug.
"Through supermarkets the people who are most vulnerable to alcohol misuse are able to afford alcohol cheaply. To prevent this we need to look at a strategy for minimum pricing to end irresponsible deep discounting."
Professor Mark Bellis, the director of the centre for public health at Liverpool John Moores University, also called for minimum pricing to be enforced, referring to cheap alcohol in supermarkets as "the cancer at the heart of our drinking problem."
Earlier this month, Labour MP Sally Keeble launched a new private members bill proposing a minimum price on alcohol.
Under the new plans, a Drinks Industry Council (DIC) would be created, comprised of representatives from the industry, producers, police, health care, youth sector and consumers. The DIC would advise Government on a minimum price for a unit of alcohol, promotions and set codes of conduct.
Should Asda come under fire for refusing to support a minimum pricing policy? Have your say in our forum area.
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