Alcoholics Anonymous Reviews

The maker of Stella Artois, InBev, the world's largest brewer, wants to see beer sold in thousands more outlets in the UK, such as McDonalds, Starbucks, cinemas, petrol stations and video rental shops.

Despite fears that Britain is in the grips of a binge-drinking epidemic, with excessive alcohol consumption turning the UK's town centres into violent disorder zones, InBev believes alcohol should be available in many more high street locations.

Steve Cahillane, head of InBev in the UK, said there is no evidence to suggest easier availability of alcohol leads to more irresponsible drinking. "It is wrong to couple the availability of alcohol with misuse of alcohol. When you look at other cultures with open access to alcohol, you do see responsible consumption. It takes away the image of alcohol as forbidden fruit and removes the idea that you have to go out on drinking 'sessions'," he said.

He wants to see Britain adopt a more Continental style of drinking, such as in France or Belgium, where alcohol is available in many McDonalds outlets.

But the suggestion has outraged and alarmed alcohol-harm campaigners, who say alcohol should not be available in venues where many customers are under 18.

Srabani Sen, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said: "Alcohol misuse causes harm to millions of families in Britain. We should be doing all we can to minimise this harm, not finding more ways for people to drink. To suggest Britain would move to a Continental-style drinking culture simply by selling alcohol in McDonalds is deeply inadequate. Far more important than finding new places to drink is educating the public on safe drinking levels."

Mr Cahillane's comments came as InBev prepares to overtake Coors as the UK's second largest brewer and also threatens to challenge the leader, Scottish & Newcastle. The company will in August take on the rights to brew Becks in the UK, which will nudge its market share to nearly 20 per cent, slightly above Coors.