Supermarkets across Gloucester will be banned from selling cut price booze from tomorrow in a bid to help curb binge drinking.
Strict new tariffs will see cans of lager sold for a minimum of 50p, bottles of wine will cost at least £2.24 and spirits cannot be sold for less than £10.16.
Health specialists have called for minimum alcohol pricing to force people to drink less. The move could save the NHS £5.3 million a year with a further £3.6 million saved on crime.
Campaigners claim more could be done, whereas doctors working on the front line with Gloucester's street drinkers fear it could lead them to other substance abuse.
Dr Allan Harris, a GP who runs a drop-in health clinic at the Vaughan Centre in Southgate Street, said: "The proposed changes to alcohol pricing are a step in the right direction, but long overdue and much delayed from the Government's proposed changes published in 2012.
"Alcohol dependence and its manifold complications are a very common problem for the homeless population, having medical, psychological, and social ill-effects.
"Clearly alcohol poses a major and enduring threat to life and health for the homeless population.
"As has been seen when other drugs become less available, they switch to whatever else is around. "Mephedrone is a particular problem in Gloucester at the moment.
"Those of us providing health care to the homeless need to be on our toes to step in and help homeless people who are reducing alcohol use, to intervene to prevent the complications of acute alcohol withdrawal, including seizures and delerium tremens."
Alcohol accounts for 14 per cent of deaths in the homeless population, compared to just over one per cent elsewhere in the UK.
Death from alcohol is seven times more likely if you are homeless. On average, at 48, you are likely to die three years earlier form alcohol related problems than the national average.
Eric Appleby, Chief Executive at Alcohol Concern said it would be difficult to enforce below cost sales in smaller stores.
"The idea that banning below cost sales will help tackle our problem with alcohol is laughable, it's confusing and close to impossible to implement.
"On top of this, reports show it would have an impact on just one per cent of products sold in shops and supermarkets leaving untouched most of those drinks that are so blatantly targeted at young people."
Low-strength beers that have an alcoholic content of 1.2 per cent or less will not be hit. Nearly half of all violent attacks were carried out by drunk thugs.
Alcohol Concern claims six out of seven major supermarkets sell alcohol below cost. The law change is designed to stop "loss leader" deals where supermarkets flog wine, beer or spirits for less than it costs them in VAT and alcohol duty.
A Morrisons spokesman said: "We were one of the first retailers to call on the Government to introduce a floor price of duty plus vat on alcohol sales.
"As a responsible retailer, we already pledge not to sell products below this price and are ready to comply with the new legislation when it comes in to force on Sunday."
Tesco said: "As a responsible retailer, we take the sale of alcohol extremely seriously. We do not sell alcohol at below cost and always comply with legislation."
"We clearly communicate to customers that alcohol is a product for adults and we have strong systems in place to ensure we do not sell to underage customers.
"We were the first supermarket to introduce labels showing the units of alcohol in our own-brand alcohol and over 90 per cent of our own brand lines now have front of pack unit information."
An alcohol awareness day will take place at the Redwood Education Centre at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on Wednesday, April 23 from 10am -4pm.
There will be a drop in Q&A session with the community alcohol services team, gastro and hepatology consultants and a consultant psychiatrist for addictions.
The hospital's alcohol liaison team will be around to answer questions and give feedback.
Alcohol liaison nurse Googie Smith said: "We have been conducting a pilot on 'symptom-led detox' and we want to look at the results and also answer any questions that people may have on this pilot.
"We offer outpatient appointments, brief interventions and advice. We follow patients through their journey whilst in hospital if they are identified as needing an alcohol detox.
"We will give advice on screening tools and we are also educate on the dangers of alcohol on health.
"We are trying to raise an awareness of community services that are available for those with alcohol problems and other parties who may be involved."
