Scottish Government plans for alcohol advertising ban could be ‘biggest threat’ to good beer in CAMRA’s 50 years of campaigning in Scotland, says the consumer organisation.
Pub goers and beer drinkers across Scotland are being asked to join the fight to stop a ban on advertising alcohol from ruining the choice of good beer and the future of small breweries across the country.
The Campaign for Real Ale says the proposals in the Scottish Government’s consultation on banning alcohol advertising could spell the end for consumer choice, independent breweries and local festivals – but also be devastating for all alcohol producers and drinks festivals in Scotland.
CAMRA is urging pub goers and drinkers to join their fight to see off the proposals from the Scottish Government by using their quick template email tool which allows people to quickly respond to the Scottish Government’s consultation on its plans which runs until 9th March.
The template email tool is available at https://camra.e-activist.com/page/122089/action/1
Commenting, CAMRA Scotland Director Stuart McMahon said:
“These plans for banning advertising of alcohol in public and the display of alcohol in shops would be absolutely devastating for pubs, for small and independent breweries – and for choice of good beer and cider for drinkers. The damage that would be caused to the economy doesn’t even bear thinking about.
“The Scottish beer scene has boomed in recent years with consumers being able to pick from a huge range of quality and distinctive brews and ciders from local and independent producers.
“But if these small businesses can’t advertise new products, shops can’t display a decent range of local beers and festivals showcasing the best of Scottish brewing can’t go ahead because they can’t advertise that they are happening then all this could soon come to an end.
“We risk going back to the bad old days where the only choice for customers was between a few similar beers that were mass produced by a few brewing giants.
“I don’t think it is over egging the pudding to say that this could be the biggest threat to consumer choice and good beer that CAMRA has ever faced in nearly 50 years of campaigning in Scotland.
“These proposals are aimed at stopping alcohol consumption across the whole of society, despite evidence that the majority of drinkers do so responsibly.
“We are therefore calling on all drinkers and pub goers to join us in calling on the Scottish Government to ditch these damaging plans by using our quick template email tool to respond to their public consultation.”
