CHEAP alcohol promotions in supermarkets may anger many a pub landlord, but consumers are taking full advantage of it.
New research suggests the public are in favour of discount deals. A report by the corporate finance and restructuring adviser Zolfo Cooper has found that 60 per cent of consumers support supermarkets using the low price of alcohol to attract customers.
The report suggests that the increased cost of visiting pubs and restaurants has led to a drop in overall spending for the first time since 2010. Pubs have suffered most, with the average customer spending £14.42 per week, or £750 per year – down more than £100 in two years.
Paul Hennings at Zolfo Cooper said: “Many pub and bar operators are having the life squeezed out of them by a combination of cheap supermarket drinks and escalating duties. The focus needs to be on getting a fairer deal on VAT and other duties. It’s time everyone got behind our local pubs or we will end up losing another 10,000.”
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