Minimum unit pricing for alcohol: Scottish Government needs to find a compromise over proposed increase to rate – Scotsman comment

Ministers should take the cost-of-living crisis into account when considering increasing the current rate of 50p per alcohol unit

The Scottish Government’s decision to consult retailers about raising the minimum unit price for alcohol from the current 50p to 80p or more will strike fear into the hearts of many shopkeepers. They will be concerned that, as with several other recent issues, ministers have already made up their minds and will attempt to press ahead with a dramatic increase regardless of what they are told.

However, particularly with such a serious issue – alcohol-related deaths in Scotland last year hit the highest level in 14 years – and against the background of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the Scottish Government needs to listen very carefully to the advice it receives from all quarters in response to its plans.

It is not as if shopkeepers are being unreasonable. Hussan Lal, president of the Federation of Independent Retailers in Scotland, said that they “can see the argument for increasing the price which has been in place for five years”, adding that the body welcomes “any reduction in harmful levels of drinking”. However, he warned that a figure of more than 80p per unit would be “over the top”. "This could price out those who look forward to a beer or a glass of wine. It would be particularly hard when family budgets are already badly squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis,” Lal said.

A study by Public Health Scotland and Glasgow University has estimated that there have been 150 fewer alcohol-related deaths each year since the introduction of the policy. If a direct causal link does indeed exist, then the saving of this many lives cannot be dismissed.

Dr Alastair MacGilchrist, chair of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (Shaap), pointed out that inflation will have been undermining the effectiveness of the policy. He called for an increase to at least 65p, which suggests there is scope for a sensible compromise figure that both the industry and health campaigners would be willing to accept.

As shown by the debacles over the deposit return scheme and highly protected marine areas, the SNP-Green government needs to learn how to listen, be guided by hard evidence, and introduce effective policies that command the public’s support.