NEW RESTRICTIONS on the sale of alcohol in Ireland have come into effect today.
Under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 aimed at reducing the consumption of alcohol in Ireland, from today alcohol will not be included in supermarket voucher schemes, and 'multibuy' offers will also be banned.
This will see an end to popular schemes such as buying six bottles of wine for a reduced price, however discounts on individual bottles of alcohol will still be allowed.
Alcohol purchases will also not include points which can be added to loyalty card schemes in supermarkets under the new measures.
The Irish Times reports that these measures are part of gradual implementations since the Alcohol Act was brought into law in 2018, which has previously seen alcohol sections cordoned off from general aisles in supermarkets and restrictions on the advertising of alcohol, and are not part of coronavirus measures.
The Act also aims to see minimum pricing on alcohol introduced, but this will take some time as the Government hopes to see minimum pricing both north and south of the border to prevent people from travelling to Northern Ireland to buy cheaper alcohol.
These new measures come at a time when the Government is discussing restrictions on the sale of alcohol to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country, including the possibility of off-license hours being reduced, however the Alcohol Act is separate to the proposed Covid-19 measures and would have come into effect regardless of the pandemic.
