Pringle calls for national bottle trace scheme

9.11.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 17th Jun 2007

Local Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Pringle has called for a Scotlandwide bottle tracing scheme to cut underage drinking.

A successful local bottle marking scheme already exists in Liberton and Gilmerton. Bottles likely to be bought by youngsters are marked with an invisible code, which can later be used to link the bottle to the shop where it was sold. In 2006 the scheme led to a huge drop in alcohol confiscations from teenagers

Mike Pringle said "I hope the Scottish Executive will now to look at these proposals. If this scheme was introduced across Scotland with enforcement resting with trading standards, this could significantly reduce sales of alcohol to underage drinkers."

The Scottish Liberal Democrat manifesto for the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections included proposal to introduce a national bottle marking scheme.