The proposed increase of 30% in the cost of alcoholic beverages in Scotland aims to reduce alcohol-related fatalities and hospitalizations.
Edinburgh officials are likely to announce that the minimum cost for a unit of alcohol will rise from 50p to 65p starting in May, marking six years since Scotland implemented this policy, making it the first region in the UK to do so.
According to Public Health Scotland, implementing minimum pricing resulted in a 13.5% decrease in deaths caused solely by alcohol last year, compared to the projected death rate if minimum pricing had not been implemented.
However, Scotland has seen a 25% increase in deaths related to alcohol in the last three years. At the same time, the utilization of alcohol treatment services has decreased by 40% in the last ten years, putting more pressure on government officials.
A 65p per unit price would be highly appreciated by advocates for health, who have been advocating for an increase in the minimum price. This is partly to account for inflation and to maintain the effectiveness of preventing low-cost alcohol sales.
The lowest price for a regular bottle of Scotch in Scotland will increase from £14 to £18.20, while vodka will cost £16.90 and a four-pack of basic lager will be priced at £4.58.
Former leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and current economy spokesperson, Willie Rennie, has been a strong advocate for this measure and expressed his appreciation for the government’s decision to heed his calls.
The speaker stated that in Scotland, over 20 individuals perish each week because of excessive alcohol consumption. Therefore, it is crucial that we take action to prevent alcohol from destroying people’s lives and communities. This issue also adds strain to our healthcare and legal systems.
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association intends to request the elimination of minimum pricing this week. They believe it is an inadequate and unjust method of addressing alcohol abuse, particularly during a time of rising living costs.
According to David Richardson, the director of consumer affairs, implementing targeted actions has a much bigger effect without punishing the majority of responsible drinkers.
Scottish Labour endorses the policy, however, they have proposed implementing an extra alcohol tax on retailers to target their excessive profits from minimum pricing. The resulting funds would then be directed towards the NHS and efforts to address addiction.
According to a study conducted by the Fraser of Allander Institute for Alcohol Focus Scotland and released on Monday, it is estimated that retailers earn approximately £30m annually by keeping the difference between the minimum price and the wholesale cost of alcoholic beverages.
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According to calculations, implementing a 13p surcharge on non-domestic rates could generate £57m annually. This is comparable to the public health supplement that Scotland enforced on supermarkets from 2012 to 2015, resulting in a total of £95m raised.
According to Alison Douglas, CEO of Alcohol Focus Scotland, the Scottish government has acknowledged the growing number of alcohol-related deaths as a public health crisis. However, addressing this issue requires adequate funding.
The Scottish National Party initially suggested implementing minimum pricing in 2008 to address the issue of increasing alcohol-related deaths and binge-drinking in Scotland. The Welsh government has since followed suit with this approach. However, the UK government’s similar plans for England have been put on hold and are no longer being examined.
In 2017, the UK supreme court declared that the Scottish policy, which had been contested by the Scotch Whisky Association, was lawful under EU law and deemed to be a suitable approach for achieving a valid objective.
Source: theguardian.com
