Minimum price of alcohol in Scotland rises by 30%

The minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol in Scotland has increased from 50p to 65p per unit on Monday.

It means that the cost of the cheapest alcohol in shops can be significantly higher than south of the border.

A 70cl bottle of spirit now costs at least £18.20 – whereas in England it can cost as little as £12. A bottle of 12% wine is now a minimum of £5.85.

It comes after alcohol deaths in Scotland reached a 15-year high in 2023, hitting the highest level since 2008.

In total, 1,277 deaths were attributed to alcohol-specific causes last year, an increase of one death from 2022.

It means that the cost of the cheapest alcohol in shops can be significantly higher than south of the border. Lidl.co.uk

The mortality rate for those aged 65 and over also reached the highest level since the National Records of Scotland began recording the data in 1994.

Alcohol-specific deaths were 4.5 times as high in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived areas in 2023.

Health experts welcomed the rise but said the Scottish Government is “dragging its feet” over restricting marketing on alcohol products.

Scotland

How much will popular drinks cost under new minimum alcohol pricing?

Scotland became the first country in the world to set a minimum unit price in 2018 – now it has increased it.

A combination of the long-lasting impacts of the Covid pandemic on alcohol consumption patterns and the level of MUP not being uprated after it was introduced in 2018, means that Scotland is now experiencing high levels of alcohol-specific deaths.

Dr Peter Rice, chair of SHAAP said: “While MUP has undoubtedly mitigated the worst extremes of the impacts of the pandemic on alcohol consumption that have been experienced in many countries worldwide, it’s tragic that last year 1,277 people lost their lives in Scotland directly because of alcohol.

“The Scottish Government must maintain MUP’s effectiveness by uprating it annually so that cheaper alcohol that causes the most harm does not become more affordable over time, but we need to see much more than this if the Scottish Government is going to effectively respond to the public health emergency of alcohol harms in Scotland.

“Instead we are seeing a government that is dragging its feet over plans to restrict marketing of alcohol products in the face of intense opposition from the industry and its allies, with no alternative plans being put in place.

“If it wants to prevent the vast health, social and economic harms caused by alcohol in Scotland, the Scottish Government needs to build on the success of the MUP policy by taking forward measures to reset our relationship with alcohol and protect the health and wellbeing of future generations.”

Public Health Scotland’s independent evaluation of the policy, which spanned five years and over 40 studies, concluded that population-wide consumption by over 3% and targeted the cheap, high strength products associated with the most harms.

The MUP is estimated to have directly saved 156 lives and averted 411 hospital admissions every year.

It was also found to have reduced alcohol-related health inequalities by reducing harms most in men and people living in Scotland’s most deprived areas, who are worst affected;

The body said the MUP hasn’t been associated with any significant unintended consequences, including negative financial effects on the alcohol industry or the economy.

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.