Public wrong to be sceptical on minimum alcohol prices, insist experts

MOST voters who are opposed to the Scottish Government’s plans to impose minimum pricing for alcohol believe that the policy will fail to reduce excessive drinking and unfairly punish moderate drinkers.

A report, compiled by Alcohol Research UK, found people are sceptical about the minimum pricing policy – one of Alex Salmond’s flagship policies – amid concerns that minimum pricing could create or increase crime, for example to pay for higher priced alcohol, or encourage drinkers to turn to drugs instead of alcohol.

Those questioned also thought that minimum pricing should be introduced with additional policies to fight alcohol abuse, such as education, and that revenue generated from the move should be spent on other intervention programmes to prevent excessive drinking.

The findings suggest, it is claimed, that some of these beliefs may be flawed, based on misconceptions of what minimum pricing is, and a lack of awareness of research findings on minimum pricing.

Researcher Prof Martin Hagger said: “Policy makers introducing a minimum pricing policy should focus on dispelling the misconceptions around minimum pricing.”

He recommended that the government should highlight key features of the policy, and introduce minimum pricing along with other measures.

A leading health expert also claimed that moderate drinkers were helping to subsidise the habits of those drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, from the Royal Liverpool Hospital, said: “The moderate or non-drinker is almost certainly currently subsidising the heavy drinkers.”

He said price reductions on alcohol at supermarkets used to draw in customers are offset by increased prices in other products, making the overall grocery bill higher for moderate drinkers who subsidise heavy drinkers through these offers.

Speaking at the launch of Alcohol Research UK, Prof Robin Davidson, its new chief executive, said he thought it unlikely that heavy alcohol users would still find a way to sustain their habit. That risk is the subject of a major study.

He said: “It’s very attractive to say that educating people will change behaviour but we’ve got evidence that it has to be very specific.”

The Scottish Government’s alcohol minimum pricing bill has not yet declared a specified minimum price, with the rate to be decided separately.

A previous minimum price of 45p was proposed during the last session of parliament, but blocked by opposition parties.

Last night a Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “There is a clear link between the price of alcohol and consumption levels which makes tackling the issue of price essential if we are to reduce consumption levels and tackle Scotland’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

“We believe that minimum pricing is the most effective and efficient way to tackle alcohol misuse. It will allow us to raise the price of the dirt-cheap supermarket white ciders, lagers and low-grade spirits sought out by problem drinkers. Minimum pricing will not raise the price of all drinks.”