Trade bodies offer strong alcohol retailer advice

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has joined forces with the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) to produce guidance for retailers considering the voluntary removal of high strength alcohol.

Following competition concerns, the WSTA and ACS has produced a document offering retailers advice over the removal of high strength alcohol

The bodies united to produce the guidance report following concerns raised about the so-called “Reducing the Strength” initiatives implemented by local authorities across the UK.

It sets out competition risks associated with the local initiatives and provides a framework for retailers to assess the effectiveness of the initiative before making a final decision on whether to engage with it.

“While local initiatives begin with the best of intentions, too often they fail to take into account the very serious legal responsibilities retailers have with regards to competition,” said Miles Beale, CEO of the WSTA.

“We hope that this guidance, which builds on the work of the Local Government Association and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), will support retailers when they are approached by authorities running these initiatives.”

There have been an estimated 84 local authority initiatives launched over the past 18 months.

ACS chief executive, James Lowman, said: “There are undoubtedly competition risks associated with local initiative, so we want to provide retailers with the best tools to make the right decision for their business.

“We hope this will encourage closer relationships between local authorities and retailers to tackle alcohol harm.”

The document, called Retailer Guidance: ‘Reducing the Strength’ Initiatives, is available here.

Last February, the Home Office revealed it intended to ban the sale of alcohol at below cost prices in England and Wales before the World Cup, in order to combat the number of young people “pre-loading” on cheap booze.