Underage drinking to be targeted with bottle marking scheme
Police in North Ayrshire are bringing back the campaign to reduce sales to young people
Last updated 17th Nov 2023
The bottle marking scheme is set to make a return to North Ayrshire in a bid to lower underage drinking.
The campaign was first introduced in 2009, but has since fizzled out.
However, at a community council meeting earlier this week, Police Constables John Miller and Brian McArthur revealed it could be back soon.
PC McArthur said: “We are trying to get the shops back on board with the bottle-marking scheme and we get the shops to mark the bottles with a unique reference no with an ultraviolet pen so if we do find kids in the area we can check the bottle and see where they are buying it from.
The scheme would allow bottles to be traced back to where they were sold
“If there is disorder in an area and bottles are left lying around, we can look at them and see where they were from.
“Bottle-marking is not for the likes of cans of beer but more alcopops.”
The scheme is aimed at the kind of drinks more often bought by young people, however, Alcohol Focus Scotland chief executive, Alison Douglas thinks it might not be the best solution.
She said: “A relatively small proportion of alcohol, about 7% is bought directly from shops, so targeting shops is probably not the most effective way of reducing underage consumption.”
"Probably not the most effective way"
Instead, she argues there should be more focus on how alcohol is marketed.
She added: “We really need to be challenging the role that alcohol has in our society, so that we’re not training our young people to be the next generation of drinkers.”
She continued: “Young people themselves are telling us that they’re pretty clear about which drinks are targeted at them, drinks that are colourful, have sweetie flavours, and are pretty sugary.
“Young people themselves want to see less alcohol marketing.”
The hope though is that the scheme will make areas safer.
PC Miller said: “Last year Eglinton Park was hit particularly badly. At the swinging bridge, they were drinking and leaving bottles everywhere for staff to clean up the next day. Some of the bottles were smashed, so we couldn’t detect them.
“The onus is on shopkeepers to mark the bottles to show they are responsible.”
Any shops who do not comply would be reported by police to the licensing board.
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