Minimum alcohol pricing is nigh

You are repeating the UK decision again.

If it went to court for Ireland, the case would be different and likely finish in EU court rather than the Irish court. UK court made the decision initially, then it went to EU, then it was decided with Brexit and other factors to go back to UK court.

UK court decided it was the best option, as it wasn't a tax. That doesn't apply here. No idea why you keep going back to that.

Also price discrimination would play a factor.

It has already been in the European Courts, because along with the Scotch Whiskey lobby, other European interests objected to the Scottish law. The European Courts adjudged that it is for domestic legislatures to decide on MUP, and sent it back to the Scottish Courts. From where it went to the UK Supreme Court and back to Scotland. It took over six years, and I think the European Courts would say anyone re-testing it would be wasting their time.

Anyway it would be a bad look for the industry in Ireland to go challenging Public Health legislation, so they can continue selling their cheap slabs.

In that case what is stopping the alcohol industry and their lobby groups is the bad look it would put on them to go challenging Public Health legislation so that they can keep selling their cheap slabs.

I doubt that.

Why would the industry bother? For the main players this is perfect. Heinekin, Bud etc no longer have to compete on price with the Lidl/Aldi etc products. It will very difficult to launch a new non big player product as they can't offer any discounts or compete on price. Very few people are going to try out the new brand when it costs the same as the usual.

As we see in the earlier posts, for the smaller 'local' brews, this also gives them a way to increase their price as the relative price gap will remain the same and people previously willing to pay the higher price will content themselves that the price gap is still the same so they are still making the right choice.

Yes it could unite both sides, but pro rather than anti MUP.

The DUP are no fans of alcohol, and SF thought the level of MUP in this country was too low.

Yes the elites of both parties have anti drink track records, the late DUP leader used to call drink the "devil's buttermilk" and SF think they know what's best for the working class as evidenced in the Dail.

However I was referring to the voters on the ground who support them. Fairly fond of their cans in my experience.

If they wake up and realise what MUP means for them things could get interesting.

Trying to foretell NI politics has caught out better pundits than you.

I'm happy to wait and see.

As for here I'd say it's a slow burner but I will give it to you that Boards is not a reliable indicator of the opinion of the general public.

Visiting my relatives in Germany . 4 cans of Pilsner and Lager . Alkohol content between 4.7 (Helles) and 5.2 (Export) Price for the can between 29 Cent and 55 Cent. There is 25 Cent deposit on each can. I did not see any hordes of drunks in the streets

Tried to rotate Photo here but I am Not familiar With the machine I am Posting from. Sorry.

The media would be all over them, there were virtually no opposing voices when it was discussed on radio and i saw next to no opposition articles in papers or online news sources. The nanny staters and the college of physicians et al had everyone well and truly blinded with their falsified health argument. It would take a monumental amount of money and influence to shift the commentariat around to fairly balancing any discussion of the issue.

AAI on the news again, this time the joyless prohibionistas want warning labels on alcohol cans and bottles, guess who will end up paying for this nonsense??

Or maybe the majority just aren't that bothered, can see that alcohol causes loads of problems in this country and are willing to at least give this a try as the price isn't really that high in the overall scheme of things.

Depends on your definition of "the price isn't really that high in the overall scheme of things".

A couple enjoying 6 cans of beer and a bottle of wine per week between them will find themselves paying an extra €400 per year extra.

That's €400 extra out of after tax income just to enjoy a very modest few drinks in their own home.

Heineken has 167 breweries worldwide with 84,000 employees.

For most of last year you could buy a case of 24 cans for €24 or less if you purchased carefully.

Today a case of 24 cans will cost you €40.80.

That is down to MUP and nothing else.

Those men should be politicians. They can separate vast amounts of money from drinkers, and get them to complain about the government.

Of course they would have to take a big pay cut.