The minimum unit price (MUP) of alcohol in Scotland will rise from 50 pence per unit to 65 pence per unit on Monday, September 30 as part of measures to curb alcohol-related deaths and alleviate pressure on the NHS.
The 30 per cent increase, approved by the Scottish Parliament in April, will apply to all alcohol-selling premises, such as pubs, shops, and clubs.
For example, a pint of Tennent’s, which has an Alcohol by Volume (ABV) percentage of 4 per cent, currently has a minimum price of ~£1.14. Following the increase, its minimum cost will be ~£1.48.
Assuming premises want to maintain their profit margins, they will pass this cost entirely to the consumer. The minimum price also doesn’t factor in the operating costs of selling alcohol to the public, so its possible prices could increase more.
Take a bottle of vodka in the shop. At one litre and 40 per cent ABV, it contains 40 units of alcohol. Its current minimum price in Scotland is £20. From Monday, it will be £26.
Supporters of the policy suggest that this will deter those who struggle with alcohol from buying as much, increasing their health and relieving pressure on the NHS.
Alcohol Focus Scotland, a charity focused on reducing alcohol harm, suggested that the MUP in 2024 would have to be 62.5 pence to have the same effect as 50 pence did when the policy was enacted in May 2018, due to inflation.
Meanwhile, opponents argue that the policy will make addicts poorer, punish small businesses that sell alcohol as fewer customers buy it, and penalise casual drinkers during a cost-of-living crisis.
The MUP is not a tax, so the Scottish Government will not collect any increased revenue from the policy.
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