Cheap booze up north at an end.

Tora Bora

It's bad enough to have to swallow the Croke Park deal, but soon it will not be possible to wash it down with cheap cross border booze:)


http://www.independent.ie/national-news/uk-ban-on-belowcost-alcohol-to-ease-crossborder-stampede-2188466.html

UK ban on below-cost alcohol to ease cross-border stampede


By Aideen Sheehan

Friday May 21 2010

THE days of travelling to the North to stock up on cheap booze could be numbered as the new UK government moved yesterday to ban the sale of alcohol below cost.
The National Off-Licence Association (NOFFLA) welcomed the move, with secretary Jim McCabe calling for a similar move in the Republic to discourage irresponsible sale of alcohol.
"We would certainly welcome anything that would reduce irresponsible alcohol sales, but it's a pity that the Irish Government wouldn't take similar measures," he said.
The UK government confirmed yesterday that supermarkets and off-licences would be banned from selling alcohol below cost price.
Stores will be blocked from using booze as a "loss leader" as ministers try to cut crime and health problems linked to binge drinking.
Some retailers have already been gearing up to sell masses of alcohol at bargain prices during the World Cup.
The UK's five biggest supermarkets sold more than £38m (€43.6m) of booze below cost during the 2006 tournament.
- Aideen Sheehan
Irish Independent

Poly

Tora Bora wrote: »

It's bad enough to have to swallow the Croke Park deal, but soon it will not be possible to wash it down with cheap cross border booze

Nowhere to go on your "days of protest"?
I think they should stop drinking,get back to work and be grateful for the Job they have.

gurramok

I'd love to know where this below cost alcohol is available here. Anyone?

mike65

The Nordies will be appalled if this goes through!

hiorta

Did they clarify what is meant by 'below cost'?
Is it the cost of producing the stuff, or the cost of getting it to the point of sale, or costs before taxes?
Either way, poteen will gain.

Scofflaw

Moved to AH.

moderately,
Scofflaw

ZYX

hiorta wrote: »

Did they clarify what is meant by 'below cost'?
Is it the cost of producing the stuff, or the cost of getting it to the point of sale, or costs before taxes?
Either way, poteen will gain.

Basically the shop can't sell it at a loss.

Dravokivich

Any Idea when this is due to occur... will have to get me ma to fill up the ole Berlingo again...

bluto63

Where on earth can you get cheap booze in the Republic?

bonerm

Slightly unrelated, I hate this thread and I hate that annoying prick down at the bottom right of the screen trying to get me to go to the pub.

Oh yeah, quit drinking. It's great.

ZYX

Does the ban actually affect Northern Ireland? All the announcements say the government are going to ban below cost selling of booze in England & Wales

gurramok

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8696097.stm

Tesco apparently endorse it. Quite ironic is that they have been the cheerleader in selling cheap booze in the UK.

gurramok

ZYX wrote: »

Does the ban actually affect Northern Ireland? All the announcements say the government are going to ban below cost selling of booze in England & Wales

Good point, I think the Indo has picked it up wrong unless they hike VAT across the board.

Dravokivich

ZYX wrote: »

Does the ban actually affect Northern Ireland? All the announcements say the government are going to ban below cost selling of booze in England & Wales

haha.. England and Wales eh? So they dare not push it out in Scotland then?

enda1

Terrible idea of course.

Creating an legal cartel.

ejmaztec

bluto63 wrote: »

Where on earth can you get cheap booze in the Republic?

Make your own booze on the cheap, and become an alcoholic in the comfort of your own home.

ZYX

Dravokivich wrote: »

haha.. England and Wales eh? So they dare not push it out in Scotland then?

Scotland already have their own plans to price alcohol on the basis of alcohol content. Should make Scottish prices higher than England

_feedback_

Think it's probably to eliminate offie's at borders undercutting the rest.

Biggins

bluto63 wrote: »

Where on earth can you get cheap booze in the Republic?

The Dail bar! ALL tax free.
Another perk...

gurramok

Biggins wrote: »

The Dail bar! ALL tax free.
Another perk...

Its not as if a 100k salaried TD is on the breadline to afford that pint

ArmaniJeanss

bluto63 wrote: »

Where on earth can you get cheap booze in the Republic?

79c cans of 4% beer in Dunnes/Lidl.
€12.50 bottles of Vodka in the above.
Every second off-license doing 6 cans for €8 deals on the 'premium' beers.

If you shop around, and if you aren't committed to one brand, then 'cheap booze' has never been cheaper.

Biggins

gurramok wrote: »

Its not as if a 100k salaried TD is on the breadline to afford that pint

Very true.
You'd think they clear their bar bill then!

See: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/politician-ordered-to-clear-tab-of-euro1400-at-dail-bar-2174974.html

Mister men

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

79c cans of 4% beer in Dunnes/Lidl.
€12.50 bottles of Vodka in the above.
Every second off-license doing 6 cans for €8 deals on the 'premium' beers.

If you shop around, and if you aren't committed to one brand, then 'cheap booze' has never been cheaper.

That's not cheap.

rossie1977

Mister men wrote: »

That's not cheap.

whats your idea of cheap, €12 for a litre of vodka isn't breaking the bank considering you pay what €5-6 for a 35ml shot in an average pub up and down the country

faceman

Biggins wrote: »

The Dail bar! ALL tax free.
Another perk...

The Dail bar was technically operating illegally for years as they had no license. The government pushed a quick change to the legislation through to cover them.

One rule of some of us etc...

jimmycrackcorm

rossie1977 wrote: »

whats your idea of cheap, €12 for a litre of vodka isn't breaking the bank considering you pay what €5-6 for a 35ml shot in an average pub up and down the country

The pubs are expensive but the vodka ain't cheap regardless.

Professey Chin

NNNNNNNNNEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!


I felt a wilheim scream was in order

Barna77

Is this the end of the traffic jams to go to Newry? :rolleyes:

Bazzy

Barna77 wrote: »

Is this the end of the traffic jams to go to Newry? :rolleyes:

I hope so i go up north most weekends!

G-Money

Just as well I'm going up home next weekend then. Will have to get some padding for the boot to stop the bottles rattling off each other

Dont be at yourself

Are they selling it below cost though? The likes of Sainsburys might sell some stuff below cost to get grocery shoppers, but buying from an off-licence up North is still cheaper than buying from a supermarket down South, and they're presumably selling it above cost.

The price discrepancy isn't due to loss-leading, it's due to our crazy tax on booze and general higher cost of living, right?

ScumLord

Eurospar always has some drinks offer on. You'll get Stella/fosters for under a euro a bottle. The Polish beer is as cheap as Lidl as are most of the other brand beers.

syklops

ZYX wrote: »

Scotland already have their own plans to price alcohol on the basis of alcohol content. Should make Scottish prices higher than England

For whiskey maybe, but it should mean that beer becomes very cheap.

Dioza

Bazzy wrote: »

I hope so i go up north most weekends!

The auld weekend beer run

Bazzy

No have a house and a woman up there but I drive a focus van

Gunsfortoys

Even with this in effect it will still be cheaper to buy alcohol, VAT prices etc.

Fact is the ROI is one of the most expensive places for booze.

syklops

Gunsfortoys wrote: »

Even with this in effect it will still be cheaper to buy alcohol, VAT prices etc.

Fact is the ROI is one of the most expensive places for booze.

It is a bit shocking when you buy drink in Ireland, and realise that 70% of it is tax.