Why price matters

The price of alcohol matters because when the price of alcohol goes down, consumption of alcohol goes up. The more affordable alcohol becomes, the more people use it, and the more harm we experience because of it.

Between 1980 and 2007:

• Alcohol became 69% more affordable. 

• Consumption increased by more than 2 litres of pure alcohol per adult.

• Alcohol-related deaths in Scotland went up by more than 100%.

Why a minimum price for alcohol matters

A minimum price for alcohol matters because:

• Alcohol is available for sale for at very low cost. The costs of manufacturing and retailing of cheap alcohol do not reflect the high cost to society associated with its use. 

• Some retailers sell alcohol at a loss in order to attract more customers. This practice means that alcohol taxation by itself is not sufficient to ensure that alcohol is priced responsibly. A minimum price, or floor price, stops alcohol being sold below-cost.

• Harmful drinkers are known to favour cheaper forms/brands of alcohol. If the price of cheap alcohol is increased then the consumption of harmful drinkers will fall and so will levels of alcohol harm.