Minimum Unit Pricing on alcohol comes into force in Wales

Shoppers in Wales will have to pay more for cheap alcoholic drinks like cider and beer as Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) officially comes into force.

(Photo: Strongbow)

From today (2 March), bars and retailers will need to charge a minimum of 50p per unit of alcohol sold. A unit of is 10ml of pure alcohol, so the tax will have a greater effect on low priced drinks with comparatively high ABVs, such as so-called white cider or cheap spirits.

The new law means that a standard pint of beer or cider cannot be sold for less than £1.25, while the minimum price of a bottle of wine will be around £5. A bottle of gin or vodka, meanwhile, will have a minimum mark-up of £13, as a typical 70cl bottle contains around 26 units.

“Anyone would be hard pressed to find a pub in Wales selling alcohol that cheaply, but that’s the point. MUP has not been designed to bring an end to pubs or socialising,” health minister Vaughan Gething said.

Gething said the regulations are not meant to target pubs and bars, but it is hoped the pricing structure will curb “heavy drinking amongst people who are putting themselves at a serious risk of acute alcohol-related illnesses, such as cancers, strokes, heart disease, liver disease and brain damage.” There were 535 alcohol-related deaths in Wales in 2018, according to Gething, while it is also estimated that alcohol-related issues cost the NHS upwards of £159 million each year.

Scotland became the first country to introduce an MUP of 50p on alcohol on 1 May 2018, six years after the law was first passed, although how much of an impact this has had on the country’s alcohol consumption is still up for debate.

“While it will be a few more years before we can truly see the benefit of the change here or in Scotland,” said Gething, “we are optimistic that MUP in Wales will help facilitate a healthier relationship with alcohol and, ultimately, a healthier nation.

The Welsh government had initially planned to roll out MUP last summer, but the law was stalled after Portugal raised an objection to the proposals under EU rules.

Under the EU rules, any member state can raise a ‘detailed opinion’ on another member states’ policy plans that concern products, which triggers a three-month pause on the drafting of legislation, while member state respond to the objection.

Gething said at the time a rebuttal was immediately sent out by the Welsh government which set out “why the Welsh Government remains committed in introducing this legislation.”

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, told the drinks business that Wales’ MUP “represents a major change” to the country’s alcohol policy, and its impact “should be carefully evaluated before a proposal is considered in England.”

“In tackling alcohol related harm, it is education and awareness, through support for Drinkaware and other awareness programmes, that delivers the most effective results. This, alongside partnership working between industry, local communities, police and the public health authorities can have real long-term benefits.”