HEALTH watchdogs have demanded a crackdown on supermarkets selling alcohol at “ridiculously low” prices.

They want the chains to be included in new legislation banning drinks promotions amid fears that a price war is helping to fuel drunkenness, violence and alcohol-related illnesses.

A Sunday Times survey last week found beer being sold for as little as 20p a can in one supermarket, bottles of spirits for less than £7 and cider for 69p a litre.

Many of the supermarkets surveyed were also offering two-for-the-price-of-one deals on beers and spirits.

A licensing bill, due to be introduced by the Scottish executive, will ban pubs and clubs from running irresponsible drinks promotions, including happy hours.

Alcohol Focus Scotland, a Scottish executive-funded watchdog, said “deep discounting” by the main supermarket chains, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, was encouraging people to drink more.

“We strongly believe that shops and supermarkets selling alcohol at ridiculously low prices must be clamped down in exactly the same way as cheap drink promotions in pubs and clubs,” said Jack Law, the group’s chief executive.

“There is no doubt that deep discounting encourages people to buy and consume more and this can lead to people drinking at harmful levels.”

Law said that alcohol is now almost 50% cheaper than it was two decades ago and supermarkets had to take their social responsibilities seriously.

“It isn’t like any other product on their shelves and selling cans of strong cider or beer for as little as 40p is not sending out the right message,” he said.

“The forthcoming licensing legislation must look at both the on and off-trade.”

The Sunday Times examined prices at branches of the eight leading supermarket chains.

The cheapest supermarket was Asda, selling own-brand lager at 20p a can and charging £6.86 for a bottle of own-brand whisky.

Iceland was selling 440ml of 7.5% Diamond White cider at 75p, 400ml of 5% Carlsberg Export for 60p and 440ml of 6% Scrumpy Jack cider for 39p.

At Lidl, a 700ml bottle of Original Cream Liqueur (17%) was priced £4.49 and two litres of White Cider (7.5%) was being sold for 90p.

Somerfield was offering three litres of Ice Dragon (8%) at £1.40, and two bottles of Bells whisky, Gordon’s gin, Smirnoff vodka or Baileys for £20.

Asda was selling two litres of Oakstone Dry Cider (4.2%) for 69p, 330ml bottles of Kronenbourg lager (5%) for 62p and 700ml bottles of Irish Knights Cream (14.5%) for £2.79.

At Aldi, two litres of Taurus Dry Cider (5.3%), was 78p and 700ml of Tomova Vodka was £6.69.

Total alcohol consumption in Britain has gone up by 1.2 litres per person in the past three years and more people are drinking at home because of cheaper supermarket prices. According to the British Beer and Pubs Association, in 1971 less than 10% of all beer was consumed at home, now the figure is 39%.

In Scotland, 33% of men and 13% of women are exceeding safe drinking limits.

“Alcohol is a unique product and it can’t be sold in the same way as bread or eggs or tomatoes,” said Paul Waterson, the chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association.

“People will think that because they can get drink so cheaply there is no point in going to the pub and will drink at home more and more and home drinking can create problems with alcohol abuse.

“While pubs’ cut-price drinks offers are being regulated, there has been nothing done about the off-trade. Any government control mechanisms must include the off-trade. There is no point in the government trying to stop it in just the pubs.”

It is a view shared by Brian Monteith, the Tory MSP, who criticised the executive’s licensing proposals as “misguided”.

“This will result in either people staying in and drinking or getting tanked up before they go out,” he said.

Several cities have already cracked down on drinks promotions in clubs and pubs. In Aberdeen, the licensing board has proposed minimum drink prices in pubs of £1.75 for a pint of beer, cider, premium lager or bottle of alcopop. The lowest price for spirits is £1.20. However, the new pricing regime has been placed on hold following a legal challenge by two pub chains.

Glasgow city council, meanwhile, has banned happy hours.

Last night the Scottish executive defended its decision not to tackle drinks discounting by supermarkets.

“The main issue in the legislation relating to off-sales will be under-age drinking. We have no problem with people taking advantage of cheap drink in supermarkets and getting good value for money,” said a spokesman.

COST TO HEALTH

SCOTS spend more on cigarettes and alcohol each week than their counterparts in the rest of the UK, according to government figures.

A breakdown of household spending in 2002-2003 showed that the average Scottish home spent £13.40 a week on alcoholic drinks and tobacco, compared with £11.20 for the UK as a whole. The figures confirm Scotland’s position as one of the unhealthiest countries in Europe.

The figures, published last week by the Scottish executive, show that consumer spending in Scotland is more than £50 billion a year — about £10,000 for every man, woman and child.

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