UK NEWS

SCOTS WILL HEAD SOUTH TO AVOID SNP TAX ON BOOZE

STOCKING UP: Scots can simply drive to England to buy cheaper drink

Thursday June 19,2008

By Paul Gilbride Scottish Political Reporter

A HUGE cross-Border trade in black-market booze will flourish if Holyrood slaps a “health tax” on alcohol, shopkeepers claimed yesterday.

Retailers, who have reacted with fury to controversial Scottish Gov-ernment plans for a minimum pricing scheme, warned of chaos as shoppers seek out cheaper deals in England.

Ministers insist the measures, which also include plans to ban under 21s from buying alcohol in off-licenses and supermarkets are essential to tackle binge drinking among teenagers.

However, the minority administration has been warned it will be left open to a future legal challenge from supermarkets if it presses ahead with the proposals.

Stores yesterday highlighted the fact under 21s will still be able to use their credit cards to buy alcohol over the Internet so long as the supplier is outside Scotland.

They also said canny buyers may become “booze cruisers”, heading south on the M74 to Carlisle and the A1 to Berwick-upon-Tweed.

John Drummond, chief executive of the Scottish Grocers Federation (SGF), said his members, especially those in Dumfries and Galloway and in the Borders, fear loss of business.

He said: “If people can legally buy cheaper drink south of the Border what will stop them driving a Transit van to Carlisle and stocking up before driving back into Scotland? White van man will simply drive to Carlisle instead of Calais to stock up on cheaper drink.”

Under the plans customers will be forced to queue up at separate alcohol-only checkouts and pay a minimum 35 pence per unit of alcohol, the so-called health tax.

Using the Government’s own figures, several drinks associated with anti-social problems such as alcopops and Buckfast would be unaffected while the price of mid-market wines would rocket.

Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said: “These proposals have simply not been thought through.”

The Scottish Government last night said it must act on figures showing alcohol abuse was costing the country over £2.25billion a year and resulted in 40,000 hospital admissions.

A spokeswoman added: “We are aware that some people already go to France to stock up and some people have suggested this situation will occur if we ban irresponsible promotions in Scotland.

“However, this should not and will not deter us from acting where we can.”