A survey by Torfaen's Trading Standards Service has revealed that consumers are getting a fair deal when buying spirits from Torfaen's pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants.
Trading Standards Officers recently visited 54 premises and tested over 200 spirits samples for authenticity. They were looking for licensees who substitute branded spirits with cheaper inferior spirits or even water, but every sample passed.
According to the International Federation of Spirit Producers (IFSP) the problem of spirit substitution costs consumers £43 million per year, with 1 in 50 (2%) licensed premises across England and Wales substituting their spirit drinks.
Enforcement officers used simple dipstick indicators for testing white spirits and a portable UV spectrometer for testing the authenticity of branded Scotch Whiskies.
Steve Whitehouse, Head of Torfaen Trading Standards, said: "The vast majority of licensees are law-abiding professionals who apply the highest possible standards to their businesses. We conduct these checks to detect those licensed premises that deliberately flout the law, mislead consumers and create an unfair trading advantage over honest traders. We will continue to test spirits as part of our on-going routine inspections."
Torfaen's Trading Standards Service recognises that the analysis of food and drink plays an important role in the protection of public health and standards.
It contributes towards the Council's food law enforcement role of ensuring that food and drink intended for human consumption is safe and of a standard demanded by the public and the law.
The act of spirit substitution is a criminal offence through a number of consumer protection Acts of Parliament, namely the Food Safety Act 1990, the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, and the Trade Marks Act 1994.
For further information on spirit substitution visit www.ifsp.co.uk|