The Scottish parliament are in the process of trying to implement minimum pricing legislation on alcohol, adding 50p per unit, to the price of alcohol. The scheme is likely to come over to England and Wales if it is proven to work in Scotland, as the House of Lords have just recommended.
Minimum unit pricing is not a tax, but more of a measure, adding 50p per unit of alcohol to the overall price, in an attempt to reduce excessive drinking. Most recent research has shown that in the long term, the plan to add 50p per unit should show alcohol-related deaths falling by 120 per year as well as 2,000 less hospital admissions. The proposal would affect those living in poverty the most, aiming to reduce harmful drinking amongst the homeless.
So, what drinks could be affected? Buying drinks at the pub won’t change, as they’re already well-above the official minimum price (if not absurdly overpriced - £7 for a glass of wine, really?). But supermarket booze could get a little more costly, with high content alcohols being affected, such as spirits and white ciders which prove most popular amongst destructive drinkers.
The scheme has not been able to be introduced yet, despite having been proposed way back in 2012, because of an outcry from the drinks industry. They contest that it is a ‘restriction on trade’. So don’t stock up on your voddy yet…
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.