Buckfast Tonic Wine

Police face legal challenge over Buckfast anti-crime labels

The distributors of Buckfast are taking legal action against Strathclyde Police in a bid to stop the force adding its own anti-crime labels to bottles of the tonic wine.

The company is now asking the courts to intervene to stop bottle marking. Buckfast's legal battle with the police promises to be a fascinating case.

J Chandler & Co wants a judge to stop bottle marking because the company says the practice stigmatises the brand.

The firm is due to lodge a case at the court of session on Friday.

Strathclyde Police said it was unable to comment before receiving a court summons.

In 2010, the force said the tonic wine had been mentioned in more than 5,000 crime reports over the previous three years.

It asks some retailers to attach police stickers to bottles of Buckfast and some other alcoholic drinks.

This allows officers to trace bottles associated with crime back to the store from which they were purchased.

However, Buckfast's distributor believes the practice is illegal and discriminates against its brand.

Lawyers for J Chandler & Co will ask a judge to find that Strathclyde Police has unlawfully encouraged retailers to label bottles of Buckfast or withdraw the product from sale.

It is not clear what evidence they will present in court.

If the case is deemed competent by a judge, the police will be summoned to respond.

The force said: "We haven't received any summons yet and as such we are unable to comment."



Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland news

If whisky is Scotland's national alcoholic drink, Buckfast must be the most notorious tipple consumed here.

It's produced by Benedictine monks in Devon but is regularly linked to the crime and anti-social behaviour of drunks in Scotland.

In 2010, Strathclyde Police said it had been mentioned in more than 5,000 crime reports in the previous three years.

Buckfast's distributor, J Chandler & Co, says it's not the drink that is irresponsible but those drinkers who consume it to excess.

It argues that "buckie", as it's known, is unfairly stigmatised by politicians and the police.

Ministers from Helen Liddell, when she was Scottish secretary, to the current justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, have highlighted Buckfast as a problem drink.

Strathclyde Police issues special stickers to some off-licences. These are attached to bottles of Buckfast and some other brands.

The police marks are used to trace bottles used in crime, or found with underage drinkers, back to the stores from which they were bought.

J Chandler & Co says this is hurting its brand and its sales, although Buckfast appears to be bucking economic trends, recording record sales worth more than £39m in 2011/12.



I have never drank it nor been overly keen to even try it, but it appears to appeal to many. I also think its pretty rich of Strathclyde Police and the Scottish Government to highlight a particular brand.


Does it deserve/warrant the bad rep and should it be singled out as responsible for crime in Scotland???

 

Good.

I hope the monks win.

 

Thing is, these pisshead twats would easily get * bingoed on an alternative if buckfast didn't exist. It's a booze-related problem for me, not a specific type of drink issue.

EDIT - the "*" element not being consumers of the stuff in general; rather the law breakers.

 

No,in my area in the 70's and 80's it was El Dorado that was the drink of choice for the antisocial,it just so happens that lots of them drink Buckfast now,it's popular that's all.

 

Nothing wrong with the vino if it wasn't there people would just get as * on something else and to be honest I'd say there was worse drink around its normally when people are drinking shots they end up as * and wanting to fight

 

That`s what I was thinking. Heard a discussion on the news about this subject and they spoke about the contents of the drink; contains caffeine and some other substance(unlike other alcoholic beverages apparently).As usual the Government and Police totally missing the point, tackling the off-shoots of the issue and not the root of the problem.

 

Spot on.

I drank it for years (still enjoy the odd bottle) and never stabbed anyone or committed any crimes on it.

The young team are moving away from it now anyway, it's far too expensive.

 

Had a couple of bottles last weekend and never murdered anyone,as others have said its the person drinking it that has the problem not the actual drink

 

Mon the monks

 

ive drank it plenty, never had any bother other than a banging headache the next day! putting a label on it will just make it more cool to young people IMO, it will take buckfast to new heights

 

i prefer red red wine.

 

Buckfast is a new thing for me, yet to do anyone in on it.

 

Tried a bottle of the cafeine-free stuff in Monaghan........was * *.

Nice chilled regular.bottle however............

 

I'm drinking a bottle now and I love it. This bottle tastes lovely, not often you get a good one but when you do it's a real gem.

 

Haven't bought a bottle in months,but when I do I seek out a number one,or the lowest number I can find,always thought the lower the number on the bottom of the bottle the better it tastes.

 

The best ones imo are from number 15 to 21 I've always thought the lower the number the worse it tastes

 

I get it over here from time to time from an oil and gas boy, It gives me the worst hangover ever. The drunk it gets me is not very nice either.

 

Never mind the hangover its the wine shites the next day that get me never off the pan after a night on it

 

Aye they are pretty brutal as well.