Campaign against Local Authority restrictions on higher-strength products gains momentum

A campaign by the Off Licence News (OLN) against ‘Reducing The Strength' schemes is gaining support, with a number of producers as well as the BBPA and the National Association of Cider Makers calling on the European Commission to take action.

Brussels is currently investigating the complaint calling for legal clarity over the initiatives which ban the sale of higher-strength beers and ciders normally over 5.5 per cent ABV.

This follows on from recent news questioning the lawfulness of such schemes in completion terms and where a Newcastle operator obtained a ruling in the Magistrates Court criticising the Licensing Authority for imposing a condition (despite a lack of ‘direct evidence that the premises were undermining licensing objectives') to prohibit the sale of beers and ciders above 5.6 per cent alcohol by volume.

The legality of such initiatives has always been open to question.