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Sales of alcohol at supermarkets "should be banned"

Published:  23 July, 2008

A government advisor has said banning supermarkets from selling alcoholic products could be the answer to curbing problem drinking.

Professor Julian le Grand, the chairman of Health England, told the Daily Telegraph that customers should be made to make a conscious decision to buy drink by going into a different shop, instead of being "lured" into buying alcohol during their weekly grocery shop.

He told the newspaper alcohol had become "like adult candy", with customers seduced into buying cut-price drink on their way around the supermarket in the same way that sweets used to be placed near tills.

He favours separate alcohol outlets, as in some US states and parts of Canada.

"I would probably ban supermarkets from selling alcohol altogether," he added.

He also said there should be a "dramatic rise" in prices.

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