The Scottish Parliament has approved plans to continue with minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol, and to increase the rate by 15p.
When the MUP legislation was introduced in 2018 it was subject to a ‘sunset clause’, which meant that it would expire this month unless MSPs voted to retain it. The vote was passed by 88 votes to 18, with the rate now set to rise from 50p per unit to 65p from September to ‘counteract the effects of inflation’.
Despite the introduction of MUP, alcohol-related deaths in Scotland in 2021 reached their highest level since 2008, at 1,245 (https://www.drinkanddrugsnews.com/scottish-alcohol-deaths-at-highest-level-for-13-years/) and there has also been concern that some dependent drinkers were cutting back on food and other essentials to buy alcohol (https://www.drinkanddrugsnews.com/mup-having-little-effect-on-dependent-and-harmful-drinkers/).
‘I’m pleased that parliament has agreed to continue MUP legislation and to raise the level it is set at,’ said drugs and alcohol policy minister Christina McKelvie. ‘As we have made clear, the policy aims to reduce alcohol-related harm by reducing consumption at population level, with a particular focus on targeting people who drink at hazardous and harmful levels.
We believe the proposals strike a reasonable balance between public health benefits and any effects on the alcoholic drinks market and impact on consumers. Evidence suggests there has not been a significant impact on business and industry as a whole but we will continue to monitor this.’