The true cost of minimum alcohol pricing

Following a Supreme Court ruling, Scotland is set to be the first country in the world to have a minimum price per unit of alcohol, with the Welsh government continuing similar plans.

The Scottish government aims to tackle the country’s binge-drinking culture and associated health problems by raising the price of cheap, high-strength alcohol to 50p per unit.

With the ruling in place, the Scottish government want to move quickly to implement the legislation, possibly starting as early as the beginning of next year. It is also anticipated that this ruling will increase pressure on the UK government to follow suit in England.

Whilst a tax increase would have raised the price of all alcohol generally, minimum pricing seeks only to affect the price of the cheap, high-strength alcohol sold in retail stores that causes the most damage and health issues. Pubs and bars are unlikely to be affected as they usually charge more than 50p per unit.

Find out more on the Scottish Government website.