Scotland to set 50p minimum unit price for alcohol

The Scottish Government has confirmed it will set a minimum price for alcohol of 50p a unit. Picture; PA

The Scottish Government has confirmed it will set a minimum price for alcohol of 50p a unit, despite concerns from some it could see the policy’s effectiveness “considerably reduced”.

It comes after a consultation found almost three quarters (74.3%) in favour of a 50p minimum unit price, although some organisations called for it to be higher.

Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison insisted the policy - which is being introduced on May 1 after the Scottish Government won a lengthy legal battle - would “save thousands of lives”.

The story of how Scotland brought in minimum pricing on alcohol

But scientists at the Royal Society of Edinburgh said setting minimum pricing at 70p would “reflect a greater degree of ambition”.

Scotland will be the first country in the world to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol after Supreme Court justices in November dismissed a legal challenge that had been brought by the Scotch Whisky Association.

Following the landmark victory, ministers asked for views on what level minimum unit pricing (MUP) should be set at.

Of the 130 organisations and individuals who responded to the consultation, just over half (53.8%) commented on the proposed 50p price.

Of this group, 74.3% supported introducing MUP at this level with 79.2% of organisations and 63.6% of individuals backing it.

An analysis of consultation responses said “a minimum unit price of 50p per unit provides a proportionate response to tackling alcohol misuse, as it strikes a reasonable balance between public health and social benefits and intervention in the market”.