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Responsible drinking code shelved Responsible drinking code shelved
(about 1 hour later)
A voluntary code banning irresponsible drinks promotions has been shelved because it may break competition laws, a pub industry representative has said.A voluntary code banning irresponsible drinks promotions has been shelved because it may break competition laws, a pub industry representative has said.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) confirmed it had withdrawn the code pending further legal advice.The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) confirmed it had withdrawn the code pending further legal advice.
A government memo had warned of a possible conflict between a voluntary code and European laws, it says. A government memo had warned of a possible conflict between the voluntary code and European laws, it says.
The Department for Business and Enterprise said it thought the code was unlikely to break competition rules. However the Department for Business and Enterprise said it thought the code was unlikely to break competition rules.
'Forced to comply''Forced to comply'
A spokesman for the BBPA, which represents more than half of the UK's 58,000 pubs, said the voluntary code had banned any promotions that encouraged very fast or excessive drinking.A spokesman for the BBPA, which represents more than half of the UK's 58,000 pubs, said the voluntary code had banned any promotions that encouraged very fast or excessive drinking.
He said these included two-for-one offers, or promotions that allowed women to drink for free. He said these included two-for-one offers or promotions that allowed women to drink for free.
He told the BBC: "The industry is not voluntarily dropping its promotions code. We have been forced to act to comply with the law.He told the BBC: "The industry is not voluntarily dropping its promotions code. We have been forced to act to comply with the law.
It is a matter for the BBPA what advice it gives its members Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory ReformIt is a matter for the BBPA what advice it gives its members Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
"The government knows this is the position and has been kept informed at all stages."The government knows this is the position and has been kept informed at all stages.
"Pubs and pub companies have been and continue to take action on responsible promotions, but in doing so we have to act within the constraints of competition law.""Pubs and pub companies have been and continue to take action on responsible promotions, but in doing so we have to act within the constraints of competition law."
But a spokesman for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform said the government had not encouraged the BBPA to drop the code.But a spokesman for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform said the government had not encouraged the BBPA to drop the code.
He said: "We welcomed the code when it was first published and there is unlikely to be any reason why it would breach competition law.He said: "We welcomed the code when it was first published and there is unlikely to be any reason why it would breach competition law.
Sexual imagery
"However, ultimately it is a matter for the BBPA what advice it gives its members. If it is concerned about the legality of its code, then it is right to seek further legal advice.""However, ultimately it is a matter for the BBPA what advice it gives its members. If it is concerned about the legality of its code, then it is right to seek further legal advice."
The spokesman said the guidance was published in April and was targeted at government officials. The spokesman said the guidance that was published in April was targeted at government officials.
He said its aim was to help officials understand competition rules and minimise the risks of these being breached when markets were being discussed. Last week a government-commissioned study, drawn up by auditors KPMG, concluded that the industry's voluntary code was "not fit for purpose".
The BBPA said it had announced that it would drop the code in June, and that regardless of there being any official internal code of practice, its members would continue to support responsible drinks promotions. The BBPA said that regardless of there being any official internal code of practice, its members would continue to support responsible drinks promotions.
'Downed in one' It is now time for the government to take firm action against the trade and to legislate to ensure that the licensing trade always act responsible Chris Allison
But last week a government-commissioned study, drawn up by auditors KPMG, concluded that the industry's voluntary code was "not fit for purpose". Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner
To prepare the report, a team of researchers visited nearly 600 pubs, bars, nightclubs, off-licences and supermarkets in England over a five-day period. But the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) said the drinks industry still needed to do more to tackle problem drinking, and called on the government to "take firm action against the trade".
Practices observed "frequently" by the survey teams included venues glamorising drinking by linking it with sexual imagery, DJs inducing drinkers to consume more and customers being urged to drink faster through shots and shooters being "downed in one". Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, said: "Sadly the trade repeatedly show that they cannot be relied upon to consistently act in a responsible way, a fact that was re-enforced in the KPMG report published by the government last week.
In response to the report the BBPA said: "The government seems to have ignored hard evidence from the repeated government sting operations which have visited thousands of pubs in recent years. "It is now time for the government to take firm action against the trade and to legislate to ensure that the licensing trade always act responsible."
"Those reports, while identifying some problems, have tracked consistent improvement in standards and high levels of good practice - more than 90% of pubs have been found to be totally compliant with existing laws, regulations and standards."