The price of cheap bottles of vodka and low-cost cans of cider and lager is going to be jacked up under a government clampdown on alcohol.
Supermarkets and small shops will also be required by law to confine their off-licence to one part of the store.
And alcohol will carry specific health warnings – which won't be as graphic as cigarette packets – and calorie levels.
The Cabinet yesterday signed off on its long-awaited alcohol strategy. A timeline on when the new laws will come into force will be announced tomorrow.
Minimum pricing is being brought in by the Government on what is described as cheap alcohol, relative to its strength.
The change will target so-called '€5 naggins' of vodka and certain brands of strong lager and cider by bringing in a minimum price per unit of alcohol.
The Coalition is planning to coordinate efforts on pricing with the authorities in Northern Ireland.
Shops will have to separate alcohol from other products on sale to a greater degree. And there's a threat to force them to segregate their alcohol entirely behind a wall, if the law is not adhered to.
Source: Fionnan Sheahan and Aideen Sheehan, Irish Times, 23/10/13
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