Government considers alcohol only supermarket checkouts

Published: 22 October, 2008

The government is considering making supermarkets create alcohol only checkouts as part of its bid to curb binge drinking.

The government is considering making supermarkets create alcohol only checkouts as part of its bid to curb binge drinking.

Under plans being drawn up by ministers, shoppers would have to queue up twice - once to buy their groceries and again to purchase alcohol.

It is hoped that the move will deter shoppers from making excessive purchases of alcohol and catch out underage buyers.

Supermarkets would have to dedicate specially trained staff to the checkouts.

If the plans go ahead, it would bring Britain into line with countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland, which in some areas only allow alcohol to be sold at state-owned outlets.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has slammed the idea, saying that data from Morrisons proves the idea will backfire.

Morrisons already operates a dozen stores which for historical reasons have separate alcohol checkouts. The stores sells 4% more alcohol than those with traditional food and alcohol checkouts.

Jeremy Beadles, chief executive of the WSTA, said: "The evidence suggests separate checkouts actually increase sales of alcohol. Why inconvenience ordinary consumers with a policy that isn't going to work anyway.

"Politicians would be better off working with police to enforce the many laws we have that are not yet used rather than creating a walk of shame for millions of ordinary people who are doing nothing wrong."

Richard Taylor, corporate affairs director for Morrisons, added: "Having separate checkouts for alcohol will not help tackle alcohol misuse. Our own experience in 12 stores where, for historical reasons, we have separate alcohol checkouts is that we actually sell more alcohol not less.

"The Government should focus on enforcing existing legislation that tackles misuse rather than imposing unnecessary measures on the majority of people who do drink responsibly. "

Dedicated checkouts are just one of the moves currently being considered as part of a mandatory draft code of practice for the drinks industry.