Most consumers do not believe minimum alcohol pricing will reduce consumption. A survey for Checkout magazine found that just 22% of consumers believe minimum pricing will work.
The Government plans to introduce minimum pricing as part of the National Substance Misuse Strategy.
A fixed, minimum unit pricing based on the strength of each product is among a number of measures aimed at getting people to cut the amount of alcohol they drink.
However, the survey found that 60% of people either disagree or strongly disagree that the planned legislation will lower consumption.
Those in the 45-plus age group were more optimistic — more than one in four agreed that the plan would succeed. Still, 57% disagreed.
Almost three out of four (72%) of young people aged 18 to 24 thought the initiative would fail, as did 62% of those aged 25 to 34 and 59% of those aged 35 to 44.
Alex White, the minister of state for primary care, has said he hoped to have legislation introduced in the summer.
However, Checkout editor Stephen Wynn-Jones said the Empathy Research study showed minimum pricing might not be the most effective way to curb alcohol abuse.
Source: Evelyn Ring, Irish Examiner, 25/03/14
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