Off Sales: Mr Rennie said supermarkets were abusing quantity discount ban. Pic: © STV
The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has demanded that big businesses "back off" from attempts to stop changes to alcohol legislation.
Willie Rennie said large retailers and supermarkets are undermining new laws and resorting to legal threats to prevent minimum unit pricing.
Mr Rennie called for the Scottish Government to send a strong message to retailers, during exchanges at First Minister's Questions in Holyrood.
He said: "Retailers are openly promoting their online delivery services and other underhand tactics to get round the law, agreed by this Parliament last year, to get round multi-buy discount."
Mr Rennie said the behaviour should be "condemned", adding: "Big business has already tried to undermine the democratic will of this Parliament on the 2010 legislation."
He continued: "Some businesses get it, and support the plans, but others do not understand that they have a social responsibility to the communities in which they operate.
"Big businesses lost the argument on the need for strong action on alcohol but now they resort to threats of legal tactics, using their wealth and might.
"What message does the Deputy First Minister have for big business acting in this destructive way, how is the Government going to get the message out to them that they need to back off?"
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, standing in for Alex Salmond, said a quantity discount ban - which prevents deals such as two-for-one on bottles of wine - was intended to work in conjunction with a minimum alcohol unit price.
That policy was blocked last year by opposition parties, including the Lib Dems. However, one of Mr Rennie's first decisions as new leader was to reverse party policy.
Ms Sturgeon, who is also Health Secretary, re-introduced the SNP's minimum price plan in an Alcohol Bill on Tuesday.
In 2010 the price was expected to be 45p per unit but no official limit has yet been set.
Based on that limit, the minimum price for a standard 700ml bottle of spirits at 37.5% ABV would be £11.82. A 500ml can of super-strength 9% beer would be £2.03, while a bottle of 12.5% wine would cost a minimum £4.22. A two-litre bottle of 6% cider would cost £5.40.
Ms Sturgeon welcomed the new Lib Dem support, and added: "Willie Rennie is absolutely spot on to mention and highlight the fact that significant and very key players in the alcohol industry now do support minimum pricing, and I certainly very much welcome that.
"Again, just like I look forward to persuading other members of this Parliament, I look forward to persuading other parts of the industry as well.
"Companies will take their own decisions, it is their right to do so, but if this Bill does pass then I hope, really hope, that companies and indeed others right across Scotland will recognise the clear will of this Parliament and I hope they will act in a socially responsible manner."
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