Supermarket booze ban branded 'unfair'

By Tulip Mazumdar
Newsbeat health reporter

The ad campaign shows youngsters drunk before they go out

Banning under 21s buying alcohol from the off licence or supermarket is "absurd" and "unfair" say campaigners.

That's the verdict as a new ad campaign aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds highlights the uglier side of going out and getting wasted.

The Scottish government announced plans this week to make it illegal for shops to sell booze to under 21s despite the fact over 18s would still be able to drink in a pub.

Watch the video on the Government's new ad campaign

Gavin Partington from the UK-wide Wine and Spirit Trade Association says that's a very confusing message though.

He told Newsbeat: "It flies in the face of reason that if at 18 you are old enough to get married, you can vote and even fight for your country, but you can't be trusted to buy alcohol in a shop."

Tackling binge drinking

The idea behind the plans is to cut binge drinking among younger people and teenagers.

Ministers in England Wales and Northern Ireland say they're watching closely what Scotland does, but there are no plans to follow their lead on it at the moment.

The government in England have however launched a new £4 million ad campaign showing how nasty things can get if you have too much to drink.

In one of the adverts you see a man getting ready to go out. He rips his top, smears food down himself and wees on his shoes.

The end caption simply reads, "You wouldn't start a night like this, so why end it that way?"

New campaign

Some people believe that the Scottish government's new plans to raise the supermarket booze buying age to 21 won't work.

Katie, 24, said: "I don't think it's going to stop people from buying alcohol when they're under 21.

The new ad shows how easy it is to injure yourself after drinking alcohol

"I did it - I've always looked younger than I am and I remember when I turned 18 I was just so pleased that I could get alcohol and be the same as my friends.

"I don't agree, by 18 you're an adult and you should be able to make your own decisions."

Newsbeat listeners' reaction to the booze ads

But Health Secretary for Scotland Nicola Sturgeon believes the new proposals will help to cut binge drinking.

"We believe that by raising the age for off-sales purchase of alcohol to 21, together with better enforcement, we will reduce excessive consumption among young people," she added.