Technology to Monitor Alcohol Sales?

radderfire · 16 Mar 2009 at 23:20

After the recent proposal from the Chief Medical Officer for a minimum price on alcohol units, do you think that technology could offer a fairer solution for selling alcohol, i.e. use of identification technologies to identify those with an alcohol problem and refusal to sell? Do you think this should be extended to the clinically obese regarding unhealthy food purchases?

Your thoughts welcome.

Rgds

Vonhelmet · 16 Mar 2009 at 23:25

Who decides who gets to buy what?

radderfire · 16 Mar 2009 at 23:32

Let's say there would be a "alcohol restricted" database which you could be put on by a doctor if you had an alcohol problem or the police if you had convictions related to alcohol. All alcohol purchases would have to be done electronically so it could be monitored.

I'm just putting ideas out there, whether they would work or not is the discussion. My view is that modern retailing makes it too easy for susceptible individuals to develop an alcohol or weight problem and maybe technology can help. People with self-control issues are victims of the high availability of modern retailing.

Rgds

Retikulan · 16 Mar 2009 at 23:37

I do not believe for one second they have our health in mind , it's just another way to raise more cash.

radderfire · 16 Mar 2009 at 23:50

The argument against a minimum cost of an alcohol unit is that it is unfair to the responsible majority. That could be true, but there are people out there who cannot control their alcohol intake responsibly, with adverse effects to themselves and society, so can technology offer a solution?

Rgds

Amp34 · 17 Mar 2009 at 00:25

TBH their idea of a minimum price didn't seem that steep, I heard £4.50 for a bottle of wine (not that I drink it), is that no pretty damn cheap, and anything less probably tastes like Vinegar anyway? As for beer does anyone know the minimum for that, if it's less than £2 ish then again it really isn't going to affect many people.

muon · 17 Mar 2009 at 00:28

Amp34 said:
TBH their idea of a minimum price didn't seem that steep, I heard £4.50 for a bottle of wine (not that I drink it), is that no pretty damn cheap, and anything less probably tastes like Vinegar anyway? As for beer does anyone know the minimum for that, if it's less than £2 ish then again it really isn't going to affect many people.

Its 50p a unit. So would depend on the alcohol volume.

So a can of stella 2.6 units would have to be £1.30 minimum.

Sainsbury's are currently selling 24x440ml stella cans for £12. I'm guessing that will fall foul of the rules?

Amp34 · 17 Mar 2009 at 00:36

Exactly, not exactly much tbh.

The $6m Dan · 17 Mar 2009 at 00:53

Your maths is pretty poor to be honest. That would make a crate of Stella over £31 which is quite a price hike in my mind.

As for technology stopping people enjoying a brew then I don't see how that would work either, as we even have people in this here forum that show how to brew your own, so where there's a will there's a way. Would that make those threads illegal

muon · 17 Mar 2009 at 00:57

Small correction to above, a stella artois 5% strength 440ml can is 2.2 units. So the 24 can crate will have a minimum price of £26.40.

caff · 17 Mar 2009 at 01:04

So long as they don't hike beer tax up any further, I don't really care. What annoys me is proper pubs and proper beer (not supermarket naff lager) being hit by high taxes.

Duff-Man · 17 Mar 2009 at 01:05

Is it possible? Probably.

Do 'we' want it? Hell no...

We have enough of a nanny state as it is, without having the Government directly control what we can and cannot eat / drink. I don't want to live in some Orwellian nightmare state thank you very much!

The only reason that such a restriction should ever be made is a result of a criminal prosecution. Law abiding citizens should always be free to do as they please - even if it is self desructive. This is what it means to live in a "free" society, as opposed to (say) Germany circa 1940.

Amp34 · 17 Mar 2009 at 01:28

The $6m Dan said:
Your maths is pretty poor to be honest. That would make a crate of Stella over £31 which is quite a price hike in my mind.

As for technology stopping people enjoying a brew then I don't see how that would work either, as we even have people in this here forum that show how to brew your own, so where there's a will there's a way. Would that make those threads illegal

Ah, they are talking about crates as well? (ghost101 didn't have the third line when I replied) I was on about pub prices, which won't really be affected.

As for crates I guess the main rise will be beer (which make it seem astronomical), at 50p a unit spirits and wines won't change much in supermarkets either.

Also booze cruizes to the continent will suddenly increase again at the price of beer.

Dano · 17 Mar 2009 at 01:36

Retikulan said:
I do not believe for one second they have our health in mind , it's just another way to raise more cash.

Agreed.

mame · 17 Mar 2009 at 01:46

I've never seen lager sold in a crate

vcl_X1 · 17 Mar 2009 at 09:28

I think that so long as serious drinkers put more money into the tax system than they take out of the health system then the accountants at Whitehall won't allow any restrictions, same with obesity, given the risk of an earlier death and so no pension pay out they'll just tax us sit on the money.

This seems to be why Gordon B doesn't want a limit - he's connecting with his inner Chancellor of the exchequer and the Health minister does.

ChrisJSY · 17 Mar 2009 at 09:35

radderfire said:
...do you think that technology could offer a fairer solution for selling alcohol, i.e. use of identification technologies to identify those with an alcohol problem and refusal to sell?

I wish they did, on a personal level.
(Not me, I don't drink)

[TW]Fox · 17 Mar 2009 at 09:37

Retikulan said:
I do not believe for one second they have our health in mind , it's just another way to raise more cash.

Why do you think this? You realise that it was NOT the government who suggested this, yes? You also realise the Prime Minister indicated he was AGAINST the proposals?

I guess you didn't, but this is OcUK, why educate yourself before posting your opinion.

malfunkshun · 17 Mar 2009 at 09:40

Any technology to monitor alcohol purchases by individuals would need to record the buying habbits and details of pretty much every adult in the UK. The data would need to be accessible to every licenced premises in the UK and the buyer would need to be identifiable at the point of sale. Other than being incredibly expensive (not something that the current government would object to) it would be yet another loss of liberty. It would also be entirely unworkable, as an example I don't drink alcohol but I buy wine every now and then for the wife....

cheets64 · 17 Mar 2009 at 09:47

OMG so people didn't drink in 1808, 1855, 1905, 1956, 1979. If people in this day and age want to ruin their internal organs from drinking let them, everybody should know what alcohol does to you, I liked a drink and would stock pile beer because of its price, that didn't mean I drank 73 cans that night, more should be done to impose fines and CS to people that cause criminal damage or generally being an idiot while drunk, people admitted to hospital from alcohol abuse should be made to seek help.

I have never broke the law or caused any trouble while drunk and I have been drinking since I was 18 and thats from drinking in the pub and clubs to drinking at home.