OK, this story comes from the Daily Mail, so cannot be relied upon, but if it is true then I am totally appalled.

We are told that supermarkets will have separate check-outs for people purchasing alcohol. This, apparently, will shame people into buying less alcohol and so counter Britain's 'binge-drinking culture'. What a pile of drivelly toss. It is another example of the scumbag Labour government trying to interfere with people's lives when there is no reason to do so.

I am too colourfully incensed with fury to rant about this coherently, so I suggest you read the excellent diatribe on the Devil's Kitchen.

The National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) is proposing to introduce a two-thirds of a pint measure which would "increase the flexibility of the pub and brewing industries to innovate in the presentation of beer to consumers".

The Consultation on Specified Food Quantities also wonders if "specified quantities for unwrapped bread should be deregulated to allow unwrapped bread to be sold in any size".

As I am sure you can understand, these must be seriously pressing issues for the government. At this time of financial uncertainly I often find myself wondering if I should be drinking slightly less beer and buying unwrapped bread in many different sizes.