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Health campaigners in the North East have called for a minimum unit price for alcohol in England to help cut down on excess drinking.
The demand, from Balance, the North East alcohol office, follows a record year in 2020 for drink-related deaths and a new study which shows the pricing policy is having a lasting impact on some of the heaviest-drinking households in Scotland and Wales.
The study, led by researchers from Newcastle University, shows the minimum unit price policy in Scotland is having a positive impact since it was introduced in 2018 and the figures for Wales show a similar impact.
The greatest reductions witnessed overall were in the purchase of ciders and spirits.
And Balance say that, currently, it is possible in England to buy 2.5 litres of 7.5% cider for £3.70 – the equivalent of 19 shots of vodka.
Alcohol-related deaths rose by around 20.5% in the North East last year – from 16.6 per 100,000 people in 2019 to 20.0.
Sue Taylor, acting head of alcohol policy for Balance, said: “This important new evidence shows the real impact minimum unit pricing in Scotland and Wales is having.
“Meanwhile in the North East, we continue to suffer disproportionately from alcohol harms. It’s not right that you can buy a week’s worth of alcohol for the price of a coffee.
“If the Government is committed to levelling up and tackling health inequalities, the evidence is clear – minimum unit price is one of the most effective interventions available and it must act now to save lives.”