It’s frustrating news for bargain hunters.

But the Government believes a new ban on alcohol price promotions, effective today, will help reduce problem drinking across the country.

The ‘Sale and Supply of Alcohol Products Regulations’ means you can no longer receive supermarket loyalty card points on the purchase of alcohol.

They also ban the selling of an alcohol product at a reduced price for a limited period or because it is sold with another product or service.

ALCOHOL: Multi-buy deals, loyalty card points and price promotions are banned on all alcohol products from today.

Do you agree with this move?

— Yay Cork (@yaycork) January 11, 2021

Welcoming the ban, Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD said one of the primary objectives of the Act is to delay the initiation of alcohol consumption by children and young people.

“These Regulations will ensure that price promotions which result in the sale of alcohol products at pocket money prices cannot continue,” said Minister Donnelly.

“A young person consuming the same volume of alcohol as an adult drinker is at risk of greater harm to his or her health with a particular risk to the developing adolescent brain.

“Alcohol is not like other grocery products because of its harmful health effects. These Regulations mean that price promotions which apply to other groceries can no longer be used for alcohol products. The coming into force of these Regulations is further progress toward our objective of reducing harmful drinking and the health harms of alcohol consumption in our country.”