Supermarkets "Fuelling Binge Drinking", Says Competition Commission

The UK’s leading Supermarkets were accused yesterday of fuelling binge drinking by selling alcohol at below cost price. The Competition Commission said major retailers were using alcohol as a loss-leader, pricing it at excessively low levels to tempt customers away from rival stores. The accusation was contained in yesterday’s “emerging thinking” report on the grocery market.

Alcohol Concern, the addiction charity, branded the supermarkets "irresponsible". Frank Soodeen, a spokesman, said, "We absolutely deplore this practice, which has fuelled a rise in people drinking at home.'' Alcohol had become 54% cheaper since 1980, thanks in part to deep discounting by supermarkets, the charity said. The brewer Scottish & Newcastle was appalled by the trend, claiming in a statement to the commission that supermarkets were using cheap alcohol to lure people into their stores.

However, Tesco said it had "very strict procedures" for dealing with the sale of alcohol. "Our research shows that most of the alcohol purchased by our customers is bought as part of the weekly family shop and consumed at home", a spokesman said.

Namnews