Fife Alcohol Advisory Service: '˜Keep alcohol sales separate from groceries'

That’s the advice from Jim Bett, manager of Fife Alcohol Advisory Service (FAAS) in the wake of the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing.

“Creating a separate checkout in supermarkets purely for alcohol sales would make a very obvious distinction between licensed and unlicensed products, and perhaps there should also be ban on all alcohol discounts,” he said.

And he said that when he suggested these, the Scottish Government welcomed the recommendations, which it said, would be considered in the context of its alcohol framework plans.

Mr Bett’s comments came as an alliance of medical and clinical advisors suggested that alcohol sales should not be treated in the same way as bread and milk.

Peter Rice, chairman of Scottish Health Action of Alcohol Problems, said: “Our restrictions are not tough enough. There is clear evidence of a large volume of alcohol sales between 8pm-10pm at weekends suggesting that people are not planning to drink, but are doing so on impulse or habit.

“In Sweden shops stop selling alcohol at 6pm and the Scandinavian countries have some of the lowest rates of alcohol harm.”

FASS operates throughout Fife offering a free and confidential counselling service which can assist people to reduce or eliminate the harmful effects of alcohol, with a very positive proven track record.

To contact FAAS call (01592) 206200.