ALCOHOL PRICES TO RISE BY 30%
Booze cost set to soar following MSP vote to hike minimum unit levy
THE cost of cheap booze will soar after MSPs voted to increase the minimum price of alcohol by 30 per cent.
For the past six years the price per unit of alcohol has been 50p but MSPs have backed putting it up to 65p from the end of September.
The change will see the minimum price for a bottle of vodka rise from £13.13 to £17.06 and a standard can of lager will go up from at least £1 to £1.30.
It was approved by the Scottish Parliament after being backed by 88 votes to 28 last night.
SNP drugs and alcohol policy minister Christina McKelvie said: “I’m pleased parliament has agreed to raise the level.
“Research estimated that our world-leading policy has saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions and contributed to reducing health inequalities.
“The proposals strike a reasonable balance between public health benefits and any effects on the alcoholic drinks market and impact on consumers.”
Each week about 700 people in Scotland are hospitalised and 24 die as a result of alcohol, official statistics show.
Last year Public Health Scotland (PHS) brought together 40 studies to examine the policy’s effect.
The figures show MUP has saved an average of just over 150 lives a year and avoided more than 400 hospital admissions a year.
Latest figures available, for 2022, show 1276 alcoholrelated deaths in Scotland, the highest since 2008.
The Scottish Conservatives have argued MUP “disproportionately penalised” responsible drinkers.
Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “MUP is not the silver bullet for problem drinking. It has failed to curb alcoholrelated deaths in Scotland, which have soared to their highest levels since 2008.”
He said evidence shows some problem drinkers skip meals to buy alcohol.
Billy Henderson of the Abbeycare Group, which runs detox and rehab services, said: “Raising the price will only have a limited effect – we need a renewed national focus on preventing people drinking to hazardous levels.”