LONDON – A pint at the pub is considered an English tradition. So when a government adviser proposed hiking the price of alcohol to combat the country’s over-the-top consumption, pub-goers were up in arms.

“Oh, that excessive drinking, it’s a load of rubbish,” John Rose, a regular at The Crown in central London, said. “Raising the price would only make people angry and make them want to drink more.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown of England rejected a recommendation from his chief medical advisor to create a set minimum price for all liquor sales on March 16. The set price was an attempt to find a way to counter excessive drinking, said Liam Donaldson, the chief medical advisor in his annual report.

“England is drinking far too much,” Donaldson said in his report. “There is a clear relationship between price and consumption of alcohol. Price increases generally reduce heavy drinkers' consumption by a greater proportion than they reduce moderate drinkers' consumption."

Pub-goers scoffed at the idea of setting a minimum liquor price of 50 pence per unit of alcohol. This would increase the price of some drinks by nearly half.

“I read about the dangers of drinking,” Paul Ryan said, “so I quit. Reading, that is.” Ryan, who along with Rose is also a frequent guest at The Crown, does not believe the price increase would be a long-term solution to excessive drinking.

“I think it’s really just aimed at the youngsters,” Ryan said. “But really, it wouldn’t do a lick of good. Look at drugs, they’re ridiculously expensive and the poorest people are still doing them. Hiking up the price isn’t going to do a thing. Where there is a will, there is a way.”

Simon Green, a patron of The Rising Sun, said the price minimum would be a quick fix to a long-standing issue.

“By setting a minimum price, you’re only covering up the issue,” Green said. “You might be hiding the so-called problem, but you’re not fixing it at all. You can’t get the whole of England to change by making the people pay more for their alcohol.”

Blain Underwood, a patron of Fudge Bar in central London, said it would hurt everyone.

“Bars couldn’t have deals so less people would come in, and I imagine that would hurt the alcohol industry as a whole.”

PARIS – Wine drinking is a national pastime in Paris and all of France, but with the economy deteriorating, people are trying to find cheaper ways of purchasing their favorite beverage. The need to save money has led to an increase in the popularity of boxed wines.

“Yes, it’s boxed, but it is not bad,” Martine LaRussa said. “It’s terrible to be from Paris and drink boxed wine, I know. But it saves some money and that is important.”

Marc-Andre Toskal said his friends have all started purchasing boxed wines, and it is an embarrassment.

“We will have parties and they will buy those boxed wines,” Toskal said. “I guess you do get a lot of wine, and for less money, but it is just an embarrassment. The taste is okay, but I would rather have a bottle than a box of wine.”

Jolie Regnault said she refuses to drink boxed wines even though her friends are all falling into the trend. She said boxed wines lack the same appeal bottled wines carry.

“I have lived in Paris my whole life,” Regnault said. “I know wine is wine no matter what, but boxed wine, it does not have that romantic feeling. You cannot pour it the same. You push the tab and it just spills.”

Brianna Avery, a native of Washington D.C. who is studying in Paris, said she was shocked when arrived at a party one night and was served wine from a box.

“I’m used to Franzia back at home, but boxed wine in Paris?” said Avery. “I never thought I’d see the day. I don’t mind drinking it because I’m used to it from home, but it just doesn’t feel very Parisian. It doesn’t have the same mystique that wine labels have which is a little sad. But I guess with times like this, you’ve got to save every penny you can.”

Michel Sedaine said he thinks boxed wine is a good investment.

“Why not boxed wine?” Sedaine said. “It is cheap and delicieux. Maybe the grapes are not the high quality, but they do the same job. You might not be able to show off the classy bottle of wine from your collection, but why would you want a wine you could not drink whenever? Boxed wine, you can drink it whenever you want and still have some money for food.”

Emile Bernard said he still has mixed feelings towards the new popularity of boxed wine among his friends.

“It is strange,” Bernard said. “I want to love it because it is so much more affordable. But it just feels wrong to be drinking wine that wasn’t poured from a bottle. Sometimes I think my parents would shake their heads if they were to see I had boxed wine. But also, I think they would be happy because I am saving money. It’s all wine to me.”