| Tennents in favour of minimum pricing in Scotland |
 The Managing Director of Tennents Caledonian, Mike Lees, has come out in favour of the mooted minimum pricing of alcohol in Scotland, making the Tennents Lager brewer the first brewery to publicly support the minimum pricing proposal.
Tennents is Scotland’s biggest lager brand and Mike Lees believes that the minimum pricing policy, if adopted, could form part of the solution for dealing with Scotland’s alcohol abuse problem.
Presumably he reflects the views of his new parent company C&C in welcoming ‘sensible moves’ to ensure alcohol is ‘enjoyed appropriately’.
He stated, "We believe that, if implemented appropriately, minimum pricing could be part of the solution by increasing the price of alcohol - particularly of high-strength products - and is one way of addressing the alcohol abuse issues that we face in Scotland.
"Consequently, Tennents supports the proposals to introduce minimum pricing so long as the measures proposed are fair, proportionate and part of an overall programme to reduce the abuse of alcohol."
Up to now, both distillers and brewers have opposed the notion of minimum pricing but Mike Lees’ comments row against the tide on this one.
The Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon welcomed his comments, adding, “Currently there is nothing to stop supermarkets selling alcohol for less than bottled water and that's why it's possible to exceed the weekly consumption guidelines for men for less than £3.50".
Under the proposed new minimum price of 40 pence per unit of alcohol, a four-pack of Tennents Lager would go up in price by more than £1.
It remains to be seen whether the notion of minimum pricing would pass muster under EU Competition law. The ramifications of this move, should it take place, will be closely scrutinised by the on-trade from this side of the Irish Sea. |
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