Move to outlaw cheap alcohol in Wales unveiled
ANEW law that will introduce a minimum price for the sale of alcohol in Wales has been unveiled by the Welsh Government.
The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill is expected to be introduced before the National Assembly for Wales today by public health minister Rebecca Evans.
It will address long-standing and specific health concerns around the effects of excessive drinking and the availability of cheap, strong alcohol. It is estimated to lead to 50,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions a year, costing the Welsh NHS £120m annually.
In Scotland, a similar Act was passed in June 2012, but has not been introduced as it has been tied up in a succession of court challenges amid claims it breaches European law.
PLANS to introduce a minimum unit price on alcohol in Wales will reduce death rates and save the NHS millions, it is claimed.
The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill is expected to be introduced before the Assembly today by the Welsh Government.
The law aims to bring in a minimum price per unit – possibly 50p – in a bid to reduce the health effects of excessive drinking.
It will make it an offence for alcohol to be supplied below that price, with councils being given the power to issue fixed penalty notices to businesses not complying.
Alcohol Concern Cymru claims alcohol can currently be purchased in Wales for as little as 18p per unit.
There are an estimated 50,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions a year in Wales which cost the Welsh NHS £120m.
In 2015 alone there were 463 alcohol-related deaths in Wales.
The Bill wants to reduce the availability and affordability of cheap, strong alcohol, which is part of wider efforts to improve and protect the health of the population of Wales.
Public Health Minister Rebecca Evans said: “Alcohol-related harm is a significant public health problem in Wales. The 463 alcohol-attributable deaths in 2015 were all avoidable, and each of these deaths would have had a devastating effect on the person’s family and friends.
“Alcohol-related harm also has a big impact on public services such as the NHS.
“There is a very clear and direct link between levels of excessive drinking and the availability of cheap alcohol.
“So we need to take decisive action now to address the affordability of alcohol, as part of wider efforts to tackle alcohol related harm.
“The Bill I am unveiling today will tackle excessive alcohol consumption by making it an offence for retailers to sell strong alcohol at low prices.
“It will make an important contribution to improving health outcomes, by putting prevention and early intervention at the heart of our efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm.
“This will undoubtedly help save lives.”
In 2014, research on the impacts of introducing a 50p minimum unit price would result in:
53 fewer deaths and 1,400 fewer hospital admissions in Wales per year;
a Wales NHS saving of more than £130m over 20 years by reducing impacts on health services such as accident and emergency; and
a reduction in workplace absence which is estimated would fall by up to 10,000 days per year
Over a 20-year period, it is claimed the introduction of a minimum unit price could contribute £882m to the Welsh economy in terms of the reduction in alcohol-related illness, crime and workplace absence.
However, some people in the drinks industry claim the proposed legislation contravenes EU regulations, potentially acting as a restriction on the free movement of goods.
Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton, said: “As alcohol has become more affordable, consumption has increased. As consumption increases, harm increases. All alcohol-attributable deaths are avoidable deaths, demonstrating the urgency for further preventative action.
“Increasing the price of alcohol through the introduction of a minimum unit price provides us with an effective and efficient way of reducing excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm.
“It will have a small impact on moderate drinkers. The most substantial effects will be experienced by harmful and hazardous drinkers, who are more likely to consume cheaper and higher strength alcohol products.”
According to research by charity Alcohol Concern Cymru, 14 units – the maximum amount the UK’s Chief Medical Officers recommend any of us drink in a week – can currently be bought for as little as £2.52.
Director Andrew Misell said: “The introduction of a minimum unit price will be an important and effective step in addressing the harms caused by alcohol misuse in Wales.
“As alcohol has become more affordable, the rates of alcohol-related ill-health have risen. Minimum pricing will help to reduce harmful drinking, without punishing moderate drinkers.
“Crucially, this isn’t a tax on booze. Minimum pricing is a much more targeted measure than tax, because it raises the prices of only the very cheapest alcoholic drinks on the market – those that tend to be purchased and consumed by the heaviest drinkers.”
Some of the cheapest drinks found by Alcohol Concern on sale in Wales at present include:
three litres of strong cider for £3.99 – 18p per unit;
70cl of fortified wine for £2.99 – 27p per unit; and
70cl of vodka or gin for £10 – 38p per unit.
With the introduction of a minimum price per unit of 50p, the prices of all these drinks, and many others like them, would increase substantially or would need to be withdrawn from sale.
In contrast, Alcohol Concern’s analysis of well-known alcohol brands available to buy online from major supermarkets found that most of these would not be affected by the 50p threshold, except when on special offer or being sold with a multiple purchase discount.
Mr Misell added: “If you’re a moderate or light drinker then you really have nothing to worry about.
“We may end up seeing fewer alcohol price promotions like ‘buyone-get-one-free’ deals but it’s unlikely we will see significant increases in the prices of the most popular alcohol brands.
“This is about tackling the cheap, high-strength products most-associated with harmful drinking.”
Dr Andrew Yeoman, clinical lead for the Wales Liver Disease Plan, said: “There is no doubt that cheap, high-strength alcohol is a significant contributor to the growing number of patients experiencing alcoholrelated health problems, including liver disease.
“Deaths from liver disease in Wales continue to rise, and heavy drinking remains the major cause of this. The health benefits of removing the sale of cheap alcohol are irrefutable, and therefore minimum unit pricing will be very welcome.”
Professor Mark Bellis, director of policy, research and international development at Public Health Wales, said: “The introduction of a minimum price for a unit of alcohol in Wales will help decrease consumption amongst those drinking at harmful levels, will reduce the opportunities for young people to buy alcohol at pocket money prices and will save lives.
“The real cost of cheap alcohol is seen in our emergency departments and hospital beds swamped with individuals suffering from alcohol related problems, the amount of police time spent dealing with drunk individuals and the impacts excessive alcohol consumption has on employment and productivity.
“A minimum unit price in Wales is a positive development for public health and one that Public Health Wales strongly supports.”
Scotland has also attempted to introduce a 50p minimum unit price but it remains held up by a legal challenge from the drinks industry.