Minimum alcohol unit price increases by 30% in Scotland

The minimum unit price for alcohol in Scotland has increased by 30% as part of efforts to tackle deaths and hospital admissions linked to alcohol harm.

From Monday, the minimum unit price (MUP) rises from 50p to 65p.

Price change under the 65p MUP:
• Scotch whisky 40%: 700ml bottle will increase from £14 to £18.20.
• Vodka/gin 37.5%: 700ml bottle will increase from £13.13 to £17.07.
• Wine 13%: 750ml bottle will increase from £4.88 to £6.34.
• Beer 5%: 4x440ml cans will increase from £4.40 to £5.72.
• Cider 4.5%: 4x440ml cans will increase from £3.96 to £5.15.

In 2018, Scotland became the first country in the world to ban retailers from selling alcohol below 50p per unit.

As part of a “sunset clause” when the legislation was introduced, it had been due to end on 30 April but was continued and increased with parliamentary approval.

The MUP aims to reduce consumption at population level, with a particular focus on targeting those who drink at “hazardous and harmful” levels.

MUP is not a tax and does not generate money for the Scottish government. Instead, any additional revenue is retained by the licensed premises.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said the Scottish government is “determined to do all it can to reduce alcohol-related harm”.

He added: “I am working to ensure people with problematic alcohol use receive the same quality of care and support as those dealing with problematic drugs use.

“We have also made a record £112m available to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships to deliver or commission treatment and support services locally, as well as investing £100m in residential rehabilitation.

“I have also asked that Public Health Scotland is commissioned to review evidence and options for reducing exposure to alcohol marketing.”

The rise comes as 1,277 people died in 2023 from conditions caused by alcohol.

The latest figures from National Records of Scotland showed an increase of one from the previous year, which was the highest number of alcohol-related deaths since 2008.

Research conducted by Public Health Scotland estimated that in the two-and-a-half years following MUP implementation, there were 13.4% fewer alcohol-related deaths north of the border relative to England.

This is estimated to be equivalent to an average of 156 lives saved in Scotland per year.

The data also showed hospital admissions wholly attributable to alcohol decreased by 4.1% over the same period.

However, the report noted there was “limited evidence to suggest that MUP was effective in reducing consumption for people with alcohol dependence”.

Alcohol Focus Scotland supports the MUP but has warned against treating it as a “silver bullet” in tackling the ongoing health emergency.

The charity is calling for the MUP to be “automatically uprated by inflation going forward”, alongside the introduction of an alcohol harm prevention levy on alcohol retailers to raise money to fund public prevention, treatment and recovery support.

Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “The uprating of the minimum unit price for alcohol to 65p is a welcome and necessary step to ensure that this life-saving policy remains effective.

“The Scottish government and parliament are to be commended for implementing this policy in the first place, and for deciding to renew the policy and increase the minimum price.”

Ms Douglas added that the Scottish government must take further action.

She said: “Introducing MUP was a great example of government doing the right thing for the health and prosperity of our nation.

“It’s time to show leadership in tackling alcohol harm once again by improving the identification of people at risk of alcohol problems; increasing access to treatment and recovery support for those already experiencing them; and taking preventative action on marketing and availability to protect future generations.”

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The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has always been supportive of the MUP but does not agree with it rising to 65p.

Dr Pete Cheema, chief executive of the trade association, told Sky News: “It wasn’t really clear to us what impact the policy had had on consumption in Scotland.

“Bearing in mind a lot of the analysis that had been done, had been done during a period when we had COVID and everything was shut and it wasn’t business as usual.”

Dr Cheema said the analysis to date had been “very, very unclear”.

He added: “And that’s why we had advocated that we should wait another five years and leave the MUP at 50p before we take any further action.”

Dr Cheema said the SGF is concerned about the impact of increasing prices on top of the cost of living crisis as well as “exacerbating retail crime”.

He said: “I hope it does have the change that the government want, but that remains to be seen.”