Suffolk Constabulary try to stop sales of super-strength drinks

A ban on sales of super-strength cider and lager in Ipswich is being sought by Suffolk Police and its partners. Off-licence owners are being asked to become Ipswich ‘superheroes’ by becoming ‘Super Strength Free’ and removing these products from their stores.

Suffolk Constabulary, NHS Suffolk, Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk County Council, the East of England Co-operative Society, Tesco and Martin McColl are working together in an effort to end the sale of this kind of alcohol, which is said to have serious effects on consumers and communities.

‘Super-strength’ alcohol includes lager, beer and cider with an alcohol volume of 6.5% or over that is sold very cheaply. The campaign is targeting the sale of these items only, in off-licence premises.

Licensees in Ipswich have been asked to join the campaign by voluntarily removing the sale of these products from their stores. The East of England Cooperative Society, Tesco and Martin McColl have all agreed to remove super-strength alcohol from the shelves of their stores in Ipswich Borough and twenty independent stores in Ipswich are already ‘super-strength free’. In total there are 130 offlicences in Ipswich, 53 of which will be super strength free following the launch.

Super strength alcohol is sold very cheaply, and is often bought by young people, or those with alcohol dependency problems. Excessive consumption of these drinks can lead to health problems for the individual, can make them vulnerable to various types of crime and can lead to antisocial behaviour and community issues.

Campaign leaders hope that by highlighting the problems associated with the sale of this alcohol, the number of off-licence premises selling super strength alcohol in the town will be reduced, and members of the public will have a better understanding of the associated dangers.

Partners said, “We are positive that the ‘Reducing the Strength’ Campaign will have significant, long-lasting, positive effects for the people of Ipswich.

“The negative impacts associated with super strength alcohol are significant for the consumer and the wider community, but also for the public services who deal with the consequences. This campaign aims to take the problem away at the source.

“We hope that licensees will share our belief in the positives associated with becoming ‘superstrength free’ and that they will recognise the huge benefits that can result from removing these products from their shelves.

“We are the first county in the country to launch a campaign of this kind, and we hope that with support from our offlicences, we can roll this out across Suffolk, and eventually offer the campaign as a model for public services across the UK.”