Shops giant hit by 'binge' claim

11:00am Sunday 9th December 2007

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ONE of the country's biggest supermarket bosses has been condemned as the "godfather of British binge drinking", in a stinging attack by a North Yorkshire MP.

John Grogan made the accusation against Tesco chief executive Terence Leahy, urging him to stop selling alcohol below cost price and to end "irresponsible" drinks promotions.

But the retail giant hit back, calling the MP's comments offensive and inaccurate, and denying the firm was to blame for the rise in binge-drinking.

Mr Grogan said pubs had taken action to combat irresponsible drinking, and added: "There is no reason why the supermarkets cannot.

"Sir Terence Leahy must address the issue. The big supermarket bosses must stop putting their heads in the sand. We want some leadership from those powerful individuals."

The MP was taking part in a Parliamentary debate on cheap alcohol, when he announced: "It is with regret that I say this, but I want to charge Terence Leahy, the boss of Tesco, with being the godfather of British binge drinking. I do not make that claim lightly."

He cited the recent Competition Commission inquiry, which found that during last year's football World CChristmas crime cutting patrols are being mounted in two Hambleton villages by members of the community.

The Neighbourhood Watch teams of Sutton on the Forest and Stillington will be out and about for three hours each evening in the run up to Christmas Day.

They will be watching over the homes and businesses in the parishes to deter would be burglars and sneak thieves.

"We have conducted these patrols in past years and they have been very successful," said District Councillor Mike Rigby who is organising the Sutton on the Forest patrols.

"Traditionally Christmas is a good time of the year for burglars and sneak thieves - householders have a lot of extra goodies in their homes be they new electrical appliances or toys for the children. We are determined to keep them away from our villages and these patrols are a great deterrent."

The patrols have been occurring in the villages for the last five years - they see around 30 people going out in pairs to patrol the streets reporting anything suspicious via radios loaned by the police.

up, Tesco underpriced beer and lager to the sum of £15 million.

He said Tesco's argument was that they always underpriced alcohol, be it at Christmas, Easter, or during major sporting events.

Mr Grogan added: "Pubs, clubs and the brewers themselves have all recognised that they have to address the issue, but Sir Terence Leahy still has not.

"He went into Downing Street last week, and the only idea that he came up with - the only one reported, anyway - was that the age at which people can drink in the home should be brought down."

But Tesco spokesman David Nieberg said: "John Grogan's comments are as offensive as they are inaccurate and do nothing to inform the complex debate on binge drinking in society.

"Alcohol abuse is, of course, a serious concern to us all, and Tesco is playing a leading role in the efforts made by retailers to combat it.

"The vast majority of alcohol bought at Tesco forms part of the weekly shop, and it is insulting and wrong to assert that families looking for value when they buy beer or wine are the cause of a serious social problem."

Mr Grogan said pubs, small breweries and even students' unions had all lost out as a result of people being able to buy cheaper alcohol from major retailers.

He said: "The problem with the supermarkets is that they are pretending that there is not a problem when there is. We need to deal with it."