Minimum pricing for alcohol
What is it?
A minimum price for alcohol fixes the lowest amount of money that an alcoholic drink can be sold for.
Why it matters
A minimum price for alcohol is important in tackling problem alcohol consumption because:
- Alcohol is available for sale 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.
Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill
On 31st October 2011 the Scottish Government introduced a bill in the Scottish Parliament to make provision for the setting of a minimum retail price for alcohol in Scotland. A previous effort to legislate for alcohol minimum pricing in 2010 failed to get the backing of a majority of members of the Scottish Parliament. This time round however, the government is in the majority and it is expected the legislation will be passed next year.The first stage of legislative process involves the Health and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament taking written and oral evidence on the bill. This stage is expected to last until the end of this year or the beginning of next.
Public support for minimum pricing
There is widespread support for minimum pricing amongst health professionals, the police, social work, children’s charities, community groups and church representatives in Scotland. Over 100 signed up to a letter that appeared in the Sunday Herald.
Health advocacy organisations will continue to campaign for minimum pricing during the passage of the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) bill in parliament..
