Tesco wine minimum pricing law

Kiwi789

Is anyone else aware of the new rules for buying wine? I saw for the first time that Tesco are excluding wine priced under £3.65 per 75 cl bottle from the 25% discount offer. Their instore notice refers to the minimum pricing law as the reason for the exclusion. I didn't know there was a minimum pricing law in England - has anyone else come across this problem?

iris

Yes, I was aware of the new rules, especially as my husband's favourite wine is £3.60, so he wasn't able to take advantage of Tesco's offer of 25% off 6 bottles:cool:

tizerbelle

Happened in May this year - known as below cost ban rather than minimum price
www.alcoholpolicy.net/2014/07/below-cost-ban-in-effect-and-further-changes-to-mandatory-licnesing-conditions.html

babyj3

Kiwi789 wrote: »

Is anyone else aware of the new rules for buying wine? I saw for the first time that Tesco are excluding wine priced under £3.65 per 75 cl bottle from the 25% discount offer. Their instore notice refers to the minimum pricing law as the reason for the exclusion. I didn't know there was a minimum pricing law in England - has anyone else come across this problem?

I bought 12 bottles of wine yesterday and some were £3.49 and it wasn't until I went back today to buy some more at £3.49 that I found out about the minimum pricing and no 25% discount that I realised I had not been given the discount on those bottles yesterday
The disclaimer excluding bottles under £3.65 is in little writing and hard to read at the bottom of the sign and is easy to miss. If they'd put it where the exclusion for fortified wine is it would have been more noticeable
Even a lot of the staff didn't know about the minimum pricing when I mentioned it
It seems like sharp practice to me, like the companies who hide the bad news in their small print hoping that you won't notice it - I feel hard done by, no wonder they are losing customers as I am left with a bad feeling about it rather than pleased about the bargain I got on the other wines
When I phoned up customer services to complain they said the minimum pricing rule had been in place for ages but it is the first time I have heard or had this happen to me yet they were adamant it was on last time there was a 25% off.
Can anyone enlighten me on that?
I usually check that I have been given the right amount of discount but yesterday did not check the amount as it was a busy day - I wouldn't have known if I hadn't decided to go back and stock up with some more for Christmas
Needless to say they will be getting it back when I go next week as I want a refund and I hope everyone else in my position does the same
Aldi do a nice Spanish red for £3.29 and I can get that at any time
Aldi also do a nice cognac for £15.49 a bottle if anyone is interested - £18 at Tesco and other majors

HonestJohn

Nice large notices in my local but I didn't have a clue what they were talking about until I read this thread.

quoia

iris wrote: »

Yes, I was aware of the new rules, especially as my husband's favourite wine is £3.60, so he wasn't able to take advantage of Tesco's offer of 25% off 6 bottles:cool:

babyj3 wrote: »

I bought 12 bottles of wine yesterday and some were £3.49 and it wasn't until I went back today to buy some more at £3.49 that I found out about the minimum pricing and no 25% discount that I realised I had not been given the discount on those bottles yesterday
The disclaimer excluding bottles under £3.65 is in little writing and hard to read at the bottom of the sign and is easy to miss. If they'd put it where the exclusion for fortified wine is it would have been more noticeable
Even a lot of the staff didn't know about the minimum pricing when I mentioned it
It seems like sharp practice to me, like the companies who hide the bad news in their small print hoping that you won't notice it - I feel hard done by, no wonder they are losing customers as I am left with a bad feeling about it rather than pleased about the bargain I got on the other wines
When I phoned up customer services to complain they said the minimum pricing rule had been in place for ages but it is the first time I have heard or had this happen to me yet they were adamant it was on last time there was a 25% off.
Can anyone enlighten me on that?
I usually check that I have been given the right amount of discount but yesterday did not check the amount as it was a busy day - I wouldn't have known if I hadn't decided to go back and stock up with some more for Christmas
Needless to say they will be getting it back when I go next week as I want a refund and I hope everyone else in my position does the same
Aldi do a nice Spanish red for £3.29 and I can get that at any time
Aldi also do a nice cognac for £15.49 a bottle if anyone is interested - £18 at Tesco and other majors

But that's absolute GARBAGE.

According to the link that's been posted

The below cost ban prohibits the sale of alcohol below 'cost', defined as the level of duty plus value added tax (‘VAT’) payable on the duty element of the product price. Typical 'cost' prices are:

Can of 440ml beer at 4% ABV = 40 pence
750ml bottle of 12.5% ABV wine = £2.46
70cl bottle of 37.5% ABV spirits = £8.89

£3.65 less 25% (91p) is £2.74 so doesn't break the rule

Even the £3.49 doesn't - 25% is 87p making it £2.62

To reach £2.46 after a 25% discount you would have to start with a bottle of wine costing only £3.28.

And if a bottle is only 11% ABV it would be cheaper still !

So that's NOT the reason.

Perhaps instead of taking it back a call to head office to enquire WHY there's no 25% discount on what you've bought and IF they confirm this "BELOW COST" rule, tell them that they have got their figures crossed and whilst it "might be a NEW Company Policy" it's NOT because of new regulations.