Stop Soft Drinks Rip Off Watchdog is Urged

23rd December 1999 - Immediate Release

Plea to take action ahead of Millennium celebrations
Alcohol Concern is calling on Director of Fair Trading, John Bridgeman, to reconsider mounting an enquiry into the pricing of soft drinks in pubs, clubs and restaurants ahead of the Millennium celebrations - supporting a recent call from the DTI.

Expressing surprise and concern at the Office of Fair Trading's recent decision to reject an enquiry, Alcohol Concern Director Eric Appleby has written to the OFT saying: "The fact that there is consistently an unjustifiably high differential between soft drink prices in these outlets and shops/supermarkets surely provides sufficient suspicion that anti-competitive practices are at work here."

"Our very real fear is that unjustifiably high soft drink prices will discourage people from drinking sensibly, and taking heed of drink-driving warnings, as we enter the season of good (if not cheap) cheer - and, this year, the Millennium celebrations."

Pointing to a recent DTI report registering concern at high soft drink prices, he adds: "As you are aware, a recent report by the Department of Trade and Industry revealed that people buying colas, lemonade and mineral water in bars were generally paying approximately three-and-a half times more than shoppers in supermarkets."

"Soft drinks were priced at around £3.50 per litre in pubs compared with about £1 per litre in shops. Surely this 350% difference far exceeds the real impact of issues such as overheads, cited by the industry as the reason for the disparity."

"Given this background, it is surely wrong to reject an enquiry on the basis of a low level of public complaints. The widespread shock expressed by the media about your decision surely reflects the public's concern over this matter - as does anecdotal evidence reaching Alcohol Concern."

ends

Press contact: Lee Lixenberg - 020 7928 7377

Date: 23 December 1999