Alcohol regulations - exemptions for distilleries

[Rob Allanson]

Visitor attractions such as distilleries and breweries will be exempt from regulations that would have introduced restrictions on how they could display alcohol.

While visiting the Scottish Liqueur Centre, the Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said he had laid regulations to exempt distillery visitor centres and premises that promote the history and unique qualities of Scottish drinks from the regulations.

The move is recognition that the regulations - intended to stop off-sales displaying alcohol at multiple points in the store to encourage impulse buying - would have a detrimental effect on the visitor experience at Scotland's distilleries.

[Muskrat Portage]

Oh come on now! I'm sorry Rob but at least 90% of my whisky buying is in fact on impulse. The UK is trying to legislate impulse purchasing alcohol at offsales? That's like trying to legislate "love at first sight".

If you wander into any decent LCBO/MLCC in this area there are plenty of adverts hanging all over the place to flog the flavour of the month in multiple displays throughout the store. I assume that the same practices are continuing today in the government run liquor outlets in the UK? However it's not acceptable in the smaller "mom and pop" type offsale shops?

I must be having a "cranky day" but this legislation, (albeit exempting the distillery vistor centres), smacks of Big Brother. It's good that the distilleries and breweries are exempt but this strikes me as legislation that probably should have died in committee.

Muskrat Portage

[jmrl]

yet

[Muskrat Portage]

Sorry C57, I just assumed the airport outlets were run by the UK government. So, am I to understand that "Big brother" just installs live streaming video cameras all around the country but doesn't tinker with whisky sales?

Fancy that! I guess they are just happy to collect the VAT, duty and suchlike.

Musky

[scotchguy]

Ontario is far from the land of the free as far as alcohol goes...

There are no government liquor stores in Alberta, and many distilleries bypass Ontario in favour of Alberta, rather than dealing with the bureaucratic LCBO.

All the best whisky shops in Canada are in Alberta... my advice Muskrat Portage... go West!