The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has hit out at claims that off licence retailers promote excessive drinking.
The ACS was responding to the government's recent Alcohol Strategy, in which ministers revealed they would be launching an investigation into the relationship between "irresponsible" promotional pricing and harmful alcohol consumption.
The Department of Health investigation could have a dramatic impact on the way in which retailers are permitted to promote alcohol in the future.
"We look forward to making our contribution to this debate," said ACS chief executive James Lowman, who denied any evidence of a link between the pricing and alcohol misuse. "We do not believe that any pricing policies or promotions within the c-store sector are irresponsible," he added.
The British Retail Consortium also responded, stating that retailers were at the very forefront of the drive to promote responsible consumption.
"Retailers are leading the alcohol industry in efforts to prevent underage sales and are providing customers with clear information to enable them to make sensible choices. On excessive drinking and its effects, retailers are an easy target, but not the right one," said BRC director-general Kevin Hawkins.
"Banning discounting, even if it was possible under competition law, would simply penalise the vast majority of customers who take it home to drink over a period or at family events," he added.
The review comes as the cost of drink-related health and crime problems is said to have reached just under £20bn.
The ACS was responding to the government's recent Alcohol Strategy, in which ministers revealed they would be launching an investigation into the relationship between "irresponsible" promotional pricing and harmful alcohol consumption.
The Department of Health investigation could have a dramatic impact on the way in which retailers are permitted to promote alcohol in the future.
"We look forward to making our contribution to this debate," said ACS chief executive James Lowman, who denied any evidence of a link between the pricing and alcohol misuse. "We do not believe that any pricing policies or promotions within the c-store sector are irresponsible," he added.
The British Retail Consortium also responded, stating that retailers were at the very forefront of the drive to promote responsible consumption.
"Retailers are leading the alcohol industry in efforts to prevent underage sales and are providing customers with clear information to enable them to make sensible choices. On excessive drinking and its effects, retailers are an easy target, but not the right one," said BRC director-general Kevin Hawkins.
"Banning discounting, even if it was possible under competition law, would simply penalise the vast majority of customers who take it home to drink over a period or at family events," he added.
The review comes as the cost of drink-related health and crime problems is said to have reached just under £20bn.
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