Drinks industry: Retail ban would be draconian move

The Government should consider banning outright the sale of alcohol in supermarkets, shops and garages if a statutory code on the area did not work.

The radical measure, proposed by the Oireachtas health committee in a special report, was described as “draconian” by the drinks industry last night.

The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland — representing drink manufacturers and suppliers — also questioned the committee’s backing of minimum pricing for alcohol, but welcomed other aspects of the report.

Retail Ireland — representing supermarkets and convenience stores — said they would support measures that would actually address alcohol misuse rather than “penalise retailers”.

Alcohol Action Ireland said the committee had “demonstrated leadership”, and welcomed the strong support the majority of the committee had given on minimum pricing and recommended restrictions on alcohol advertising.

The report, details of which were revealed in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, was the result of three months of public hearings with a wide range of bodies.

Committee chairman, Jerry Buttimer TD, said alcohol was the country’s “most commonly used drug” and was our “national drug”.

One of the report’s 13 recommendations is for a voluntary code regarding the separation of alcohol from other products in retail outlets, including supermarkets, shops and garages, to be replaced by a statutory code.

The statutory code would “ban the presentation and sale of alcoholic products alongside groceries, confectionery and fuel”. The next recommendation in the report said consideration should be given to an outright ban on the sale of alcohol in certain outlets.

At yesterday’s report launch, committee members said this referred to supermarkets, garages and shops.

Commenting on these two recommendations, Mr Buttimer said: “We are recommending that the voluntary code be put on a statutory footing and if the statutory code does not work consideration be given to an outright ban.”

Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland director Kathryn D’Arcy said the voluntary code had worked, but said it was worth reviewing to see if it could be strengthened. She said there was “merit at a legislative code” if the Government decided against a voluntary code.

But she said her organisation would not support an outright ban on alcohol sales in retail outlets: “That would be quite draconian. It’s an approach that if out of sight, out of mind, people would not buy it. It hasn’t worked in other countries, like the Nordic ones.”

She said minimum pricing was “fraught with legal difficulties”. She also welcomed that the report did not recommend a blanket ban on all advertising and did not make any recommendation against sports sponsorship.

* See the full report on oireachtas.ie