Sunday, December 12, 2010

The alcohol jihad

I like a drink, I rarely drink to excess and I have never ever caused trouble when drunk, fallen over once or twice, but never injured anyone including myself. Some people can't handle their drink and do cause trouble though, however that's no good reason to either ban alcohol or make it prohibitively expensive. We have laws to deal with drunk and disorderly behaviour, if they were properly enforced then the situation of public drunkenness  that gets the righteous so up in arms wouldn't be an issue. As it is, the police are either doing paperwork to justify their existence or chasing motorists, a far easier target.

Express.
THE Co-op was accused yesterday of luring teenagers into binge drinking by selling four cans of own-brand lager for just 79p.
Industry experts branded the price “an utter disgrace”, adding that it was probably the cheapest beer deal they had encountered.
One furious mother could not believe it when her eight-year-old son pointed out the four-pack, equivalent to 26p a pint, and worked out that it was cheaper than his favourite chocolate bar.
26p a can is cheap but as for the mothers outrage, well nobodies making the silly bitch buy it now are they? It's not compulsory to buy beer at supermarkets now is it? Did someone change the rules when I was down in Devon?
As for those who do buy it, if they cause a nuisance whilst drunk, lock them up, simples.
As for the experts, what business is it of theirs as to what price the Co-op sells their beer at? The stuff is only 2.5% abv, you'd probably spend more time in the loo than actually getting drunk on it. But no, the quango's and fake charities that get so much of our hard earned cash have to be involved and tell us what we can and can't do. Personally I say sod em! What I do with my body is my business, not theirs, never has been, never will be. If I want to drink myself into an early grave that's my business too. That I choose not too should give them pause, adults are capable of making rational decisions with their lives without their help, that we do would put them out of a job, so that can't be allowed now can it?
So the sad end to this tale comes into view...
“The Co-operative is a socially responsible retailer, and it is our policy not to sell alcohol below cost price. The price of the product was reduced because it was close to its sell-by date.
“This should not happen and we will address this.”
Bastards!

8 annotations:

Sniper said...

I use small beer to avoid cholera. It's still working.

Curmudgeon said...

A ludicrous example of fake outrage. This stuff is piss-weak rubbish, and it would be very hard work to get in any meaningful sense drunk on it. No genuine pisshead would touch it with a bargepole.

Bill said...

I pray for the day when one retailer has the balls to tell 'outraged' customers to fcuk off and take their custom elsewhere.

Dick Puddlecote said...

Nonsense, as Curmudgeon pointed out. Plus, this is a reduction to clear unwanted stock.

On the one hand they talk about not wasting what we buy in supermarkets, on the other they are using legislation to force supermarkets to throw things in the skip.

Joined-up government, eh?

Good piece, QM. :)

Trooper Thompson said...

Industry experts? Sounds impressive. I wonder what one has to do to become an industry expert? Reading on, I learn that the industry expert is Martin Cassidy, of Greater Manchester Alcohol Concern. Now I'm confused... what industry are we talking about? I suppose it must be the lobby industry.

JuliaM said...

" Personally I say sod em! "

Seconded!

JuliaM said...

"I pray for the day when one retailer has the balls to tell 'outraged' customers to fcuk off and take their custom elsewhere."

Oh, I'm pretty sure her 'outrage' was delivered to the media, and not to the shopkeeper at the time!

James Higham said...

The bastards know exactly what they're doing. By pretending it's to stop binge drinking, they add to the crap which is foisted on the ordinary cit and make life even more of a misery.