tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585028625507474093.post685617789538355979..comments2023-10-17T15:56:22.827+01:00Comments on Velvet Glove, Iron Fist: Minimum pricing - still illegalChristopher Snowdonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15963753745009712865noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585028625507474093.post-57126878614165216272011-10-24T22:16:43.637+01:002011-10-24T22:16:43.637+01:00Minimum pricing has been supported by the MD of Te...Minimum pricing has been <a href="http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Brands-News/Tennent-s-boss-backs-Scottish-minimum-pricing" rel="nofollow">supported</a> by the MD of Tennent Caledonian Breweries.<br /><br />Brewers and retailers will love it because it's effectively just legalising a price-fixing cartel.<br /><br />While volumes may dip a bit, they won't fall all that much as the demand for alcohol is relatively price inelastic, and average margins will become much fatter.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585028625507474093.post-82005908941844883242011-10-24T21:36:50.662+01:002011-10-24T21:36:50.662+01:00I write this from the province of Ontario, where t...I write this from the province of Ontario, where the provincial government, the major brewers, and the liquor-retail monopoly have a 3-way stranglehold on alcohol pricing.<br /><br />The pattern is: brewers <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/573283" rel="nofollow">tirelessly lobby</a> for price increases (in the name of social responsibility, of course), and are joined by <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/557097" rel="nofollow">provincial ministries</a> hungry for greater tax revenues. After conferring with their cronies at the government-run Liquor Control Board, the price floor is raised. Profits go up, tax revenues go up, and everyone's happy. Except consumers, of course.<br /><br />It would be interesting to delve into Scotland's proposed price floor and see what similar alliance of government and industry thieves is pushing it forward.Angus MacAskillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585028625507474093.post-42692348658365530032011-10-23T16:30:25.995+01:002011-10-23T16:30:25.995+01:00We can only hope that the Scots vote for independe...We can only hope that the Scots vote for independence and we then manage to create an effective barrier to stop the vile infection that is Sturgeon spreading to other parts of the UK <br /><br />Perhaps we could build a wall?Ivan Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18364023294207490403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585028625507474093.post-39741398965500622192011-10-22T18:22:17.497+01:002011-10-22T18:22:17.497+01:00Legal Judgement from the Netherlands in 1978
http...Legal Judgement from the Netherlands in 1978<br /><br />http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:61977J0082:EN:HTMLBill Gibsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3585028625507474093.post-74769238575175754292011-10-22T17:34:09.113+01:002011-10-22T17:34:09.113+01:00Bring it on - I'll really enjoy the day when a...Bring it on - I'll really enjoy the day when a European court strikes down Scottish minimum pricing legislation. Most pleasures are now banned or actively discouraged, but I don't think they've got to <i>Schadenfreude</i> yet.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.com