Date set for minimum unit pricing for alcohol to come into effect in Scotland

Minimum unit pricing for alcohol will come into force on 1 May 2018. Health Secretary Shona Robison today updated MSPs on the plans and confirmed a consultation on the preferred minimum unit price of 50 pence will be published next week.

Shona Robison said:

“We want to introduce minimum unit pricing as quickly as possible.

“There were 1,265 alcohol-related deaths last year, up 10% on 2015, while just today we see statistics showing a 2% annual increase in alcohol-related hospital stays. These numbers are completely unacceptable. Behind every one of these statistics is a person, a family and a community.

“With alcohol on sale today at just 18 pence a unit, we have to act to tackle the scourge of cheap, high-strength drink that causes so much damage.

“Research shows a minimum unit price of 50 pence would cut alcohol-related deaths by 392 and hospital admissions by 8,254 over the first five years of the policy.

“I anticipate setting the minimum unit price at 50 pence per unit. We now want to hear from retailers, representative bodies and Licensing Standards Officers about the practicalities of implementation.”