TOPIC:

"Saruman":th3wdjow wrote: It's not perfect of course. Dodgy invoicing can see the cost to supermarkets made artificially low to allow them to get around a below cost selling ban but that can be dealt with by using proper scrutiny.

[/quote:th3wdjow]

With Tesco's under the spotlight from their fraudulent revenue claims, Other supermarkets wont be too quick to start playing around with accounts. So proper scrutiny may already be happening in the background.

Hope so.

The ABFI have also responded I see. Looks like they agree with the return of the groceries order.

[quote:30t5y4vo]Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland responds to Opinion by the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice on the issue of minimum unit pricing (MUP).

“The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) takes note of today’s Opinion by the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice on the issue of minimum unit pricing (MUP).

“We are wholly against the sale of cheap alcohol, and our members want to work with government to find a solution that will effectively address its sale in this country. We believe that a ban on the below cost selling of alcohol is that solution to addressing the sale of cheap alcohol.

“The issues pertaining to alcohol misuse are complex, and cannot be addressed by price alone. The reality is that Ireland already has the most expensive alcohol in the EU (source: Eurostat).

“We would invite the Department of Health, and the various lobby groups that it funds, to prioritise finding an effective solution to tackle the sale of cheap alcohol; and engaging with us to that end.”[/quote:30t5y4vo]

"Yves Bot, said minimum pricing would be legal only if it could be shown that no other mechanism, such as increasing taxes, was capable of delivering the desired public health benefits."

It's strange that the Yvesbot didn't suggest lowering taxes as a possible method of delivering the desired public health benefits.

"Saruman":j7vcj6dm wrote: 3. Bring back the groceries order, at least for alcohol.

Option 3 is my preference. Below cost selling is hurting independent off-licences[/quote:j7vcj6dm]

Two wrongs don't make a right though, and protectionism is always wrong.

Advocate General aside (not exactly political), out of curiosity, has any politician ever suggested such a thing? It was would be seen as political suicide by most, although I wonder if it actually would be?

"Tube":1tpbnkmh wrote:

"Saruman":1tpbnkmh wrote: 3. Bring back the groceries order, at least for alcohol.

Option 3 is my preference. Below cost selling is hurting independent off-licences[/quote:1tpbnkmh]

Two wrongs don't make a right though, and protectionism is always wrong.[/quote:1tpbnkmh]

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I would disagree that protectionism is always wrong. The microbrewery 50% duty rebate is a form of protectionism. Are you suggesting that this is wrong and should be abolished?