Mitchy260

The government want to clamp down on binge drinking, but for the life of me i can't see the reasoning as to why they decided on only a 4p increase on the pint of a beer

If i go out and get bladdered drinking 10pints of stella, its going to cost me a whopping 40p extra for my night out

Instead of punishing motorists with tax/petrol increases why didn't they just increase the pint of a beer by a pound or so? Spirit shot by 75p etc?

Even if they stuck beer up by a pound, it would still only cost an extra £10 or so for a nightout. If they compensated this with a reduction of say 10p in petrol then surely everyone would be happier?

Pint of beer in Norway is roughly £6-7 so adding on a pound onto the average £2.70pint is hardly going to raise eyebrows.

So why didn't they increase it substantially, and give us a reward on something else?

I'm beginning to think Kerry Katona could do a better job than the imbociles in charge at the moment.

Labour Or perhaps its me and im missing something blindingly obvious

Odds on

Can someone shoot this man please?

Adding a pound to the price of beer? Are you mad???

ScoobyWon't

Last time I filled my car up was about three weeks ago, it still has over a quarter of a tank left and only cost me circa £45 for 40 litres.

Working that out in pints using the rough estimation of 1 litre = 1.75 pints, I paid for 70 pints.

That would make fuel cost only £0.64 a pint.
My tipple of choice is only £2.35 a pint so:

70 pints * £2.35 = £164.50.

So looking at that logic, maybe I should start drinking unleaded petrol instead of lager...

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I honestly don't think the raise in tax on alcohol has anything to do with tackling binge drinking, it's just to raise a little more revenue. As you've stated it isn't a substantial increase that would make it too costly to carry on drinking the same as before.

However, I don't agree with saying just lob a load more tax on alcohol, to take it off fuel etc. There are plenty of people out there who don't drink to absolute excess, but like to go out for a few on a weekend for example, and I'm sure they would be equally unhappy about being hit by a massive hike, just as motorists are about being taxed to death on their cars. There will be many that like a drink, who don't drive, and why should they be penalised for enjoying their 'pleasure' in order for someone else to gain.

I have a massive problem with the constant increases in fuel prices, or rather the tax on fuel, as do I have an even bigger problem with the new road tax, but I don't think taxing alcohol is the answer to that, plus it wouldn't happen, all that would happen if alcohol was that heavily taxed, is everything else would still stay the same, and the government rake in more money, while pissing off even more people.

Tax should be fair, at a level where revenue is generated, without tearing people's eyes out left, right and centre. That won't happen, certainly under this government.

Mitchy260

Back in the days when i was a teeny bopper i would have said the same thing but seeing as im a family man now that averages 1-2 nightouts a month, i wouldn't mind paying an extra pound or so on a pint if it was being compensated somewhere else? ie petrol reductions, car tax abolition, council tax abolition, income tax reductions etc etc.

I think a pint of beer is extremely cheap if im being honest. Not many average sized men will handle 10 pints of stella on a night out, more likely 7-8. Say £3 a pint tops, thats only £21-24 for a nightout on the drink. You spend more going to the cinema.

Is 4p really going to stop binge drinking, i think not

I just cant think of any reasoning as to why only 4p?

ScoobyWon't

OK, I'll work it out based in what I will consume this week starting Sunday until Saturday coming.

Sunday 0 pints £0 New Price £0
Monday 4 pints £9.40 £13.40 + £.50 quiz fee
Tuesday 2 pints £4.70 £6.70
Wednesday 6 pints £14.10 £20.10 + £2 quiz fee
Thursday 6 pints £14.10 £20.10
Friday 6 pints £14.10 £20.10
Saturday 6 pints £14.10 £20.10

Current weekly total: £73
Suggested week total: £103.

Now if I'm going to save the £30 extra that I'm paying for booze on fuel, that'll make my average fuel charge £15 for 40 litres when I fill up, that full tank lasts me 4 weeks, which would mean my fuel should only cost me £3.75/week. Can't see that happening. I'll happily keep paying the extra fuel costs and keep the price of beer down. After all I don't see the point in having cheap fuel as you can't go out driving after you've had some beer anyway.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Not wanting to have a go, but that's the sort of attitude I really don't like. Just because an increase like that wouldn't effect you, it's a good idea, and sod those who it would. Not that I'm promoting binge drinking, but an increase like you mention, would have an impact on some who just want a night or two out, not to mention, it depends on the price of a pint to begin with. Why should those who choose to enjoy a drink be hit with what is an excessive tax, because it wouldn't effect you, and some others no doubt.

It bugs me in the same way that people go on about how motorists are taxed. You hear often enough, here included about how the taxation is fair, and fuel duty increases are fair, basically by either people who don't drive, so don't care about how motorists are penalised, or can afford it, so don't care about those who it does have a significant impact upon.

As I've said before, we are supposed to be living in a democracy, not dictatorship, so to increase any tax so much, in effect is dictating people's choices, especially those on lower to medium incomes, whether we're talking about cars or alcohol, or whatever suits a person not effected by an increase for that matter.

To increase tax on a pint by 4p will raise a fortune when you consider how many pints will be consumed. Oh and another thought, you think a 4p increase is pointless, but complain about what will be a 2p increase on fuel (not that I agree with that).

jjones

someone who sees sense.

if the incompetent tossers in the government were to stop pissing money out of every orifice there would be no need for them to constantly invent new taxes and hike the existing ones.

Mitchy260

Lisa, I think you're missing the point about the binge drinking culture we have and the associated costs that come with it. The extra policing needed to the extra doctors and surgeons required on wards friday / saturday nights. Why shouldn't drinkers fork the bill for these extra costs?

£2.50 a pint is cheap, i dont care what anyone says. After 3 mths working in Norway, i was glad to get back to the UK. I just think we should be paying quite a bit more in order to offset other essential everyday costs.

Petrol/diesel is a neccessity for most and it has a direct and indirect effect on us all in some way. Cost of food, deliveries etc

Im not saying raise duty on alcohol to give a reduction in fuel costs as such, but the extra revenue created by a substantial increase on alcohol could be used for reductions in income tax, abolition of council tax etc.

Luan Pra bang

The reason that its only .04 pence is becuase the majority of pubs in the UK don't make any money. Most Tennamts struggle through barely getting by while any profits are made by the brewery. Take away the opportunity to fiddle the VAT man and half the tennanted pubs in the UK will shut. THe cost of wine willnot change as restauants will slowley start to change to giving cheaper wine instead of putting price up. A ten pound bottle of wine in a restaurant will usually have 5-6 pence spent on the liquid in the bottle and about 4 pounds will end up as various taxes duty bottle cost etc.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I'm not missing the point about binge drinking, I just didn't get into that discussion. Binge drinking is a problem, and is a lot to do with some people's attitude to drink, and that wouldn't change due to taxation. Those hell bent on going over the top would find a way to afford to carry on as they were.

What you have to remember is although, binge drinking creates many problems, the majority of drinkers are not going about getting totally bladdered, causing trouble, ending up either in hospital or arrested. I think it is wholeheartedly unfair to penalise the majority who are responsible, because of those who go too far. Yes, the binge drinking culture needs to be addresed, and the associated problems, but they need to be tackled from the root causes, not by just throwing a tax hike at it.

Throwing a massive tax to alcohol, and trying to justify it, by saying it's to solve binge drinking, is the same as saying throwing tax after tax on car owners and saying it's to save the planet. All tax does is make the government more money, and solve nothing. It's just another way to shaft the normal folk.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Few possible things that may curb the culture.

Ban the advertising.

Make the case sizes smaller from normal retail outlets, i.e. not cash and carry, no more 24 can deals, 4 packs, no massive bottles of cider, no "Le Grande Beer" cans of Stella.

Make retailers stamp the package with their details so it can be traced back to the shop when kids have it.



Limit the availability of Super Strength Lagers and Ciders, nobody really needs 9% Lager (though I have been known to partake)


Perhaps graduate the availability, at 18 basic beer, wine and cider, at 21 you can buy Spirits and stronger Beers ?

Odds on

I agree. Apart from the first half dozen, they just get warm and flat before you've finished them. A right waste IMO. The 440 cans are the way forward for optimum drinking pleasure.

ScoobyWon't

Most people have said that the binge drinkers buy cans in multiples. The pint can measure is not actually that common. So surely putting the price up by the pint will not work. If you are going to do it, it would have to be by the ml.

The problems don't actually come from the pubs, it's from the people drinking off licenced property. A pub manager has a social responsibilty to stop you getting bladdered and causing a figgt etc. The supermarket manager however is not with you to see how you are behaving whilst consuming the alcohol that he/she sold to you.

The answer surely is to make supermarket booze cost the same as pub booze. The only difference between he pub and home/street being that the pub serves it chilled, on draught, collects your empty glasses and washes them for you so you can concentrate on just pouring it down your neck. And the bar staff are probably prettier than the tracksuit wearing chavess who has just puked into you Reebok classics.

GC8WRX

Or just do as france do, let them drink wine with a meal from about 14 onwards, and gradually let them get used to alcohol with proper supervision!

It takes away the mystery and naughty thing to do culture, and therefore the kids find something else to do!


You cant start limiting the availability of certain things, we dont live in a dictatorship just yet (not far off though!).

Leslie

I agree with what you say, but the increase is actually for a lot more revenue, which they are seriously short of but this increase will have no effect on binge drinking at all.

Les

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

GC8, its not limiting, just making some measures to assist an informed purchase, you know if you have 24 cans of Stella there its always tempting to get another one from the fridge, if its a pain to carry you dont buy as much.

I remember my dad used to get 4 cans for Heineken at Christmas and that was it, not 4 crates of whatever is available for £10 for 20.


I am sure a lot of families let kids drink wine with a meal like the French do, trouble is over here Social Services will get involved if that gets out, kids generally hate the taste of any alcoholic beverage, give any two year old a swig of your Tenents Super and see their face, they dont try it again till their mates do and spend ages forcing it down to get p1ssed until the astart to enjoy it, or they drink alcopops which should be banned anyway.
I agree about the "Naughty" thing though, people going on about they are going to have a few and arent we naughty, or the daft "Got to be Done " mentallity, no it hasnt !