Minimum pricing
What is minimum unit pricing?
A minimum price for alcohol sets the lowest price an alcoholic drink can be sold for.
In May 2018, the minimum unit price (MUP) of alcohol was set at 50p per unit of alcohol in Scotland.
From 30 September 2024, the MUP will be 65p per unit.
Increasing the price of alcohol is one of the most effective ways to reduce how much people drink and prevent problems caused by alcohol. MUP reduces alcohol-related harm by reducing how much we drink as a nation, particularly targeting a reduction in the consumption of people drinking at higher levels.
Why is minimum pricing needed?
Alcohol is still much more affordable than it was in the 1980s, mostly due to cheap prices in supermarkets and other shops where we now buy most of our alcohol.
This increased affordability has resulted in people drinking more, and in turn, more alcohol-related health and social problems. For example, there are three times as many people dying from alcohol now than in the 1980s. See here for more information on the health and social harm caused by alcohol in Scotland.
There is extensive evidence showing that when price goes up, consumption goes down (and vice versa). Minimum unit pricing was introduced in Scotland as part of a package of measures to help tackle Scotland’s alcohol problem by addressing the availability of cheap alcohol.
Minimum unit pricing works
Public Health Scotland (PHS) led an independent evaluation of minimum unit pricing. It was one of the most thoroughly evaluated policies ever in Scotland.
Key evaluation findings:
- It is estimated that MUP has saved 156 lives and averted 411 hospital admissions per year on average.
- MUP has reduced overall population consumption in Scotland by an estimated 3%, driven by a reduction in off-trade alcohol sales.
- MUP has reduced hazardous and harmful drinking, as people who bought the most alcohol before MUP reduced their purchasing the most.
- MUP has reduced inequalities in alcohol harm as the lives saved by MUP have been among the 40% of people living in the most deprived areas.
- There have been high levels of compliance by retailers and no significant negative impacts on alcohol producers or sellers
- There is no evidence of widespread social harms, such as increased drug use, illicit alcohol use or impacts on household spending.
Read our 2-page infographic summary
Why was the minimum unit price increased?
While the results from the evaluation have been very positive, the dual effects of increased inflation and changes in our drinking habits from the COVID-19 pandemic significantly eroded the impact of MUP. 50p in May 2018 is equivalent to around 62p in 2024.
Research from the University of Sheffield published in September 2023 showed that changes in our drinking habits from the pandemic will have long term effects on our health, substantially increasing the number of people who will die and be hospitalised due to alcohol. The researchers concluded that to continue being effective, the minimum unit price must be increased and linked to inflation.
Increasing the minimum unit price will give Scotland the best chance to turn the tide of alcohol harm, reduce the death toll and alleviate pressure on our health service and health professionals. Compared to keeping MUP at 50p, an increase to 65p would save around 800 lives in the first five years.
Alcohol Focus Scotland and organisations across civic society have campaigned for a 65p MUP since 2021. In March 2024, more than 80 organisations from across Scotland and beyond came together to call on MSPs to increase MUP to 65p in a joint letter to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee.
Consultation and parliamentary process
The Scottish Government consulted on the continuation and increase of MUP in late 2023, and brought forward secondary legislation in early 2024 to continue the policy beyond the end of April 2024 and to increase the price to 65p per unit from 30 September 2024.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee took evidence on MUP in February and March 2024, recommending that Parliament vote in favour of both pieces of legislation on 27 March 2024.
Read our response to the consultation
On 17 April 2024, the Scottish Parliament voted to continue and increase the MUP for alcohol to 65p per unit, concluding a lengthy process which included a robust and independent evaluation by Public Health Scotland, further public consultation and intense parliamentary scrutiny.
What we need next
From 30 September 2024, MUP will be increased to 65p per unit. This will ensure that the impact of MUP is not blunted by inflation.
To ensure MUP remains effective, we need an automatic mechanism to link the MUP to a measure of affordability on an ongoing basis, as proposed by the NCD Alliance Scotland.
Retailers have likely benefitted from MUP, with estimates on the additional revenue generated for shops and supermarkets from MUP ranging from £32m per year to £383m per year. An alcohol harm prevention levy should be introduced, applying to alcohol retailers, and drawing on the tried and tested model of the public health supplement which raised around £95m between 2012 and 2015. Funds raised should be used to support local action on preventing alcohol harms and improving treatment and recovery support.