On UK TV Tonight- 8pm
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On UK TV Tonight- 8pm
For UK people, I noticed there's a program on Channel 4 tonight called 'The Cost of Cheap Alcohol' which should be food for thought on the perils of it.
Just if anyone needs a reminder of how bad it is for us. Just a thought
Just if anyone needs a reminder of how bad it is for us. Just a thought
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: UK
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Thanks for the heads up, I'll be sure to watch this with interest.
As well as cheap alcohol, what's up with the sheer availability in this country these days? I went shopping yesterday at Tesco and came out fuming. Alcohol is everywhere!! Right now I'm strong enough to resist, but what about in the future when my guard is down? It's a given to avoid the alcohol aisle at the back, but it's all over the bloody store these days!
As soon as I walked in, there's a display of beer cases stacked up, with some offer on it. Then, there's a mini-aisle near the entrance with 'World Cup' paraphernalia, including yet more shelves full of beer and wine. Past the vegetable aisle there was another circular display next to the fish counter with bottles of wine in it. Finally, I'm walking down the chilled meals section, and a full chilled cabinet has been emptied of food and filled up with yet more beer and wine!! I have to walk past this to get the the food section I want. The stores know what they're doing here, and in my opinion this is like drug dealers sitting on street corners - for us that have issues with alcohol, it's a temptation that is very difficult to ignore, particularly when the prices are so low. I've drank value-range vodka that tasted like battery acid, but it gave me the high I was looking for so I've ignored the warning signs. Unfortunately I know very well the perils of cheap alcohol.
It's now impossible to avoid alcohol in the supermarket. It's dotted all around the store, at temptingly low prices to draw you in. I know better these days, but for a long while I used and abused low cost alcohol. One deal that was getting me in trouble was the 'two dine in for £10' at Tesco, which included a bottle of wine. That's a main meal, dessert and bottle of wine for £10 - a fantastic offer but seriously dangerous territory for alcoholics. I could buy the meal deal - and a bottle of vodka on top of that - for a very reasonable price.
As well as cheap alcohol, what's up with the sheer availability in this country these days? I went shopping yesterday at Tesco and came out fuming. Alcohol is everywhere!! Right now I'm strong enough to resist, but what about in the future when my guard is down? It's a given to avoid the alcohol aisle at the back, but it's all over the bloody store these days!
As soon as I walked in, there's a display of beer cases stacked up, with some offer on it. Then, there's a mini-aisle near the entrance with 'World Cup' paraphernalia, including yet more shelves full of beer and wine. Past the vegetable aisle there was another circular display next to the fish counter with bottles of wine in it. Finally, I'm walking down the chilled meals section, and a full chilled cabinet has been emptied of food and filled up with yet more beer and wine!! I have to walk past this to get the the food section I want. The stores know what they're doing here, and in my opinion this is like drug dealers sitting on street corners - for us that have issues with alcohol, it's a temptation that is very difficult to ignore, particularly when the prices are so low. I've drank value-range vodka that tasted like battery acid, but it gave me the high I was looking for so I've ignored the warning signs. Unfortunately I know very well the perils of cheap alcohol.
It's now impossible to avoid alcohol in the supermarket. It's dotted all around the store, at temptingly low prices to draw you in. I know better these days, but for a long while I used and abused low cost alcohol. One deal that was getting me in trouble was the 'two dine in for £10' at Tesco, which included a bottle of wine. That's a main meal, dessert and bottle of wine for £10 - a fantastic offer but seriously dangerous territory for alcoholics. I could buy the meal deal - and a bottle of vodka on top of that - for a very reasonable price.
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A New Day, I know exactly what you mean! Also, it might just be me, but alcohol always seems to be near the checkouts in bigger supermarkets - like chocolate etc is now as well, as if it's a last minute snap buy.
I get why the spirits are behind the counter, they're more expensive or whatnot. But everyone knows they're there - they could cover them up like they do with cigarettes now, you know?
It sounds sort of childish but when you're in a queue trying to think of anything but alcohol and its staring you in the face it would be so easy to answer 'is that everything for you?' with a 'yes, a half bottle of Sainsbury's vodka please' simply because it's there.
I get why the spirits are behind the counter, they're more expensive or whatnot. But everyone knows they're there - they could cover them up like they do with cigarettes now, you know?
It sounds sort of childish but when you're in a queue trying to think of anything but alcohol and its staring you in the face it would be so easy to answer 'is that everything for you?' with a 'yes, a half bottle of Sainsbury's vodka please' simply because it's there.
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I was just in waitrose and right beside the tills were Pimms (bottles of lemonade of course), huge displays of wine and offers on them (buy six and it's cheaper!) as well as their huge alcohol department in the store too.
Alcohol is everywhere and so readily available. Even with the whole looking over 25 the fact is the drinking age here is young and alcohol is able to be bought by those younger (I remember going out at 16 and never being asked for ID!)
It will be an interesting watch, thanks for mentioning it.
Alcohol is everywhere and so readily available. Even with the whole looking over 25 the fact is the drinking age here is young and alcohol is able to be bought by those younger (I remember going out at 16 and never being asked for ID!)
It will be an interesting watch, thanks for mentioning it.
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Join Date: Jun 2014
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I've lost count the amount of times I've been shopping for typical household things, and without even thinking, picked up a bottle of cheap spirit just because I was there and it was available. I'd curse myself the next day nursing yet another hangover because I hadn't even planned to drink! Just a habit of picking it up whilst I was there, and then I could never resist the urge to consume what I'd bought the very same day. I'd tell myself that a litre bottle of vodka would last a few weeks, and I even had a vacuum cork thing to preserve half-full bottles of wine, but every damn time the whole bottle would be gone by the morning.
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