Britain has introduced minimum prices for alcohol

 The UK government on Tuesday announced the introduction of minimum retail prices for alcoholic beverages sold in shops and pubs in England and Wales, reports "Interfax" referring to the BBC.

Under the new legislation, dealers would be prohibited from selling alcohol at a price below cost. We hope that this measure will remove from the shelves cheap alcohol and reduce the average level of alcohol consumption in the country.



Under the new rules, which should come into force at the end of the year, a bank of light beer can cost less than 38 pence ($ 0.61), while the minimum price liter bottle of vodka will be 10.71 pounds ($ 17).

But critics of the initiative point to the fact that these rates still too low and will not take proper effect. Therefore, according to members of the British Medical Association, to raise the limit as a minimum of 45 pence for a can of beer.

"This is a step in the right direction, but move very little, - the representative of the Royal College of Physicians Professor Ian Gilmore. - These measures are absolutely no impact on trade in cheap liquor stores." The professor argues that even now the price of most alcoholic beverages is higher than indicated by the Government at least, so that "the health of the nation, this limit will not be affected."

Source: BBC News