Price rise

Minimum pricing for alcohol, a key element in the Government's new alcohol strategy, has been questioned by the Local Government Association, over concerns that this will "cause a surge in counterfeit wine and spirits", the BBC reports.  A study from British Columbia, Canada, where minimum pricing has been in force for many years, suggests that it is effective in reducing alcohol consumption.  Approaching the problem from another perspective, a new Public Health Responsibility Deal pledge aims to make lower strength drinks more widely available.  A paper from the University of Sheffield considers the health economic assessment of public health alcohol harm strategies.  Minimum pricing has found support amongst pub landlords in Wales, who have blamed supermarket sales for a fall in their trade.  A study in Alcohol and Alcoholism examines trends in home drinking in the UK.