FURTHER restrictions on the sale of alcohol should be put in place to cut drinking and improve health, campaigners are urging.

As the Scottish Government awaits the outcome of a legal challenge to minimum pricing another Bill, from a Labour MSP, is going through parliament that would close loopholes in the law over multi-buy discounts and ban caffeine in alcohol above a set limit.

While supporting the discount ban that would see for example an eight pack of beer sold for at least double the price of a four pack, campaigners want to take a ban further.

They want to ensure single products cannot be discounted as a measure to entice shoppers to the store.

Alcohol Focus Scotland wants supermarkets and off sales to be limited to how much alcohol they can sell at a discount.

Currently the discount ban is related to the price of a single bottle of can, but if no single units are sold there is no mechanism to prevent 24 packs being sold cheaper than two 12 packs.

AFS said supermarkets have a track record in using cheap booze to attract customers and wants single units also to be restricted.

It said: “The price and increasing affordability of alcohol in recent decades has been one of the major drivers of increased alcohol consumption and harm, and tackling alcohol affordability is key to changing relationship with alcohol in the long-term.

“Retailers use percentage discounting on single items of alcohol in the same way they use quantity discounts, to drive up sales. The evidence we have on drinking behaviour suggests that people are more likely to buy brands of alcohol that are promoted or discounted in price.”

It wants a limit of 5% of all display stock to be able to be sold at a discount price.

The bill by Richard Simpson would also ban caffeine in alcohol with a limit to be agreed and set by the Government.

Alcohol focus Scotland agreed stating: “Although caffeinated alcoholic beverages only account for a small proportion of the total alcohol sales in Scotland, their consumption is associated with a disproportionately high level of hazardous and offending behaviour, with serious and costly consequences for the drinker and society.

The British Medical Association said while it was not opposed, it though there was disproportionate attention paid to caffeine in alcohol.

It stated: “It is important to reflect that given the proportion of the alcohol market that caffeinated alcohol products make up, it should not be the focus of concern.

“The BMA would welcome further research into the evidence base around this issue.”