UK: Conservatives would raise taxes on strong beer to tackle binge drinking

A Conservative government would raise taxes on strong beer and cider and mixed drinks known as alcopops while cutting duty on low-alcohol drinks in a bid to curb binge drinking, Britain's main opposition party said, according to Bloomberg, March 7.

The plans target ``problem drinks'' favored by teenagers, Treasury spokesman George Osborne said in an e-mailed statement.

``This package does not hit the vast majority of law-abiding, responsible drinkers,'' Osborne said. ``Instead we are making it much more expensive to buy super-strength lagers, ciders and alcopops, and using the extra revenue to cut taxes on low alcohol drinks.''

Public pressure on political parties to tackle excessive drinking is growing. Health authorities say drinkers are getting younger and that British women are abusing alcohol in record numbers.

Britons are more prone to excessive drinking than any other country in Western Europe, according to a 2006 survey by Datamonitor Plc. On a typical night out, they consume 6.3 units of alcohol, 24 percent more than the average European rate of 5.1 units, the survey showed.

Under the Conservative plans, WKD, a vodka-based bottled drink containing 5 percent alcohol by volume, would face a 200 percent tax increase. Some 6.5 million liters of alcopops are sold in the U.K. each year.

Other drinks that would face duty increases include super- strength ciders such as Diamond White, owned by Constellation Brands Inc., and beer stronger than 6.6 percent alcohol by volume such as Leffe Blonde, owned by InBev NV, and Carlsberg AS's Carlsberg Special Brew.

Cider with less than 3 percent alcohol by volume would have its duty reduced by 14 pence per liter, while low-strength beer would see taxes reduced by 8 pence per pint, Osborne said.

07 March, 2008