Scotland proposes rise in MUP

Today, we welcome the news that the Scottish Government has announced plans to increase the Minimum Unit Price (MUP) for alcohol to further control alcohol-related deaths and hospitalisations.

The announcements include a proposal to increase MUP from 50p to 65p to reflect inflation and in the light of more action being needed to tackle alcohol-related health problems in the country. The new unit price will come into force on 30^th September 2024.

As a result of MUP, which was introduced in Scotland in 2018, products such as three-litre bottles of super-strength cider have largely disappeared in Scottish stores and the price of the cheapest, strongest alcohol has significantly increased. Public Health Scotland said last year that MUP was associated with a 13.4% fall in deaths wholly attributable to alcohol, alongside a 4.1% reduction in alcohol-related hospital admissions compared with the expected death rate had minimum pricing not been in force.  There was also evidence that the scheme had helped to reduce alcohol-related health inequalities.

Alice Wiseman, our Vice President said:

“Since its introduction, MUP has had an enormous positive impact in Scotland with a significant drop in the number of alcohol related deaths and hospital admissions. Minimum unit pricing barely affects prices in pubs and clubs but it does target the cheapest, strongest products in shops which is where the greatest harm lies. We have seen a huge rise in home drinking over recent years, with people being able to buy cheap, strong alcohol from off-licenses and supermarkets. This is causing untold harm to individuals and their families and puts enormous pressure on our already stretched health and social care services.

“The evidence from Scotland is clear – MUP works. There hasn’t been an alcohol strategy in England since 2012 and we need to see strong Government action, the way we have seen with tobacco.”

In England, the last national strategy to tackle alcohol harm was published in 2012 by the Coalition Government setting out 30 commitments and actions to reduce alcohol harm including reducing the availability of cheap alcohol through duty rises and minimum unit pricing.

As well as being our Vice President, Alice is the Director of Public Health for Gateshead Council and works closely with Fresh and Balance, a regional programme dedicated to reducing the harm from tobacco and alcohol in the North East of England.

Ailsa Rutter OBE, Fresh and Balance’s Director said: “At a time when alcohol deaths in England and especially here in the North East are at an all-time high and with one million hospital admissions a year in England, we urgently need action to reduce alcohol harm and protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

“This latest announcement for Scotland is a stark reminder that we are not only ignoring alcohol harm in England, we are allowing the alcohol industry a free pass to do as they please. In the North East you can still buy three-litre bottles of super-strength cider with more than a week’s worth of units for around £5 and the alcohol industry wields far too much influence with Government.”

Ms Wiseman, added:

“The time is long overdue for a clear national approach to addressing all harmful and unhealthy products so that we can put an end to the undue amount of influence industries – who necessarily need to increase sales of harmful products to make profit – have over our health.”