PLANS for a minimum price for alcohol have been given a cautious welcome by health experts and pub bosses in Dorset.

Ministers plan to ban the sale of drinks for less than the tax paid on them, meaning a can of weak lager would be at least 38p and a litre of vodka just over £10.

Although few retailers sell at a lower rate now, the move has been hailed as a step in the right direction and there are hopes the limit will rise in the future.

The move is believed to be mainly aimed at some supermarkets, which use alcohol as a ‘loss leader’ to attract customers and make money from other items purchased at the same time.

Mark Harris, drug and alcohol lead for NHS Bournemouth and Poole, said: “Establishing a minimum price for alcohol is a positive step in the goal of reducing dangerous levels of binge-drinking within our community.

“Binge drinking not only affects people’s health but is also linked to anti-social behaviour.

“Research has shown a correlation between cheaper pricing of alcohol and increased levels of consumption – this policy will hopefully encourage people to start thinking about their levels of alcohol abuse.”

Greene King, which owns pubs in Dorset, supports minimum prices. Chief executive Rooney Anand said: “It is a basic law of economics that price is a big factor in influencing demand so it makes sense that setting a minimum price will discourage bulk buying.”