Minimum unit pricing for alcohol will come into force on May 1, 2018, it has been confirmed by the Scottish Government.
The UK Supreme Court ruled on November 15 that minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol, which was passed overwhelmingly by the Scottish Parliament in 2012, can now proceed.
Health Secretary Shona Robison, describing the judgment as “historic and far-reaching” and “a landmark moment in our ambition to turn around Scotland’s troubled relationship with alcohol”, said: “We want to introduce minimum unit pricing as quickly as possible.
“With alcohol on sale today at just 18 pence a unit we have to act to tackle the scourge of cheap, high-strength drink that causes so much damage.
“Research shows a minimum unit price of 50 pence would cut alcohol-related deaths by 392 and hospital admissions by 8,254 over the first five years of the policy.
“I anticipate setting the minimum unit price at 50 pence per unit. We now want to hear from retailers, representative bodies and licensing standards officers about the practicalities of implementation.”
The news that MUP has been given the green light was welcomed by the SLTA with chief executive Paul Waterson pointing out that the trade association had been arguing for price controls on alcohol since Retail Price Maintenance on Alcohol was abolished in the late 1960s.
Waterson said: “We are delighted that this positive decision has finally been reached.
“Alcohol consumption in the UK has more than doubled over the last 40 years. As consumption has increased, so has alcohol-related harm. The consequences of this abuse affects all of us, and costs society more than £2 billion a year.”
He continued: “The relationship between low prices and increased consumption is obvious. Supermarkets’ strategy of using alcohol as a loss leader, very often charging prices cheaper than water which is totally irresponsible, is a major factor in causing much of the alcohol abuse we see in Scotland today. Minimum pricing will be a major element in eradicating these problems.
“Cheap-priced alcohol has turned Scotland into a nation of stay-at-home drinkers – 72% of total alcohol sales in Scotland are off-sales, and 80% of this total is sold by supermarkets. When people drink in uncontrolled environments alcohol-related problems increase significantly.”
Waterson concluded: “Our market needed intervention to bring back price stability. The market could not correct itself – it needed robust Government action. The only efficient way of doing that is by minimum pricing and we applaud the Scottish Government for their policy.”
50 pence per unit will mean:
A three-litre bottle of strong cider at 7.5% ABV strength will cost £11.25
Four 440ml cans of 5% strength lager will cost at least £4.40
A bottle of wine of 12% alcohol strength will cost at least £4.50
A 70cl bottle of whisky will not be sold for less than £14