A flagship SNP health policy on minimum unit pricing on alcohol failed to deliver and also increased financial strain on those most affected by alcoholism, a study has found.
This means alcohol can’t legally be sold for lower than that and the more alcohol a drink contains, the stronger it is and therefore the higher the minimum unit price.
Among those drinking at harmful levels or people with alcohol dependence, the study found no clear evidence of a change in consumption or severity of dependence and that MUP may be “too low currently to produce detectable changes in alcohol consumption among people drinking at harmful levels.”
Findings also showed that some economically vulnerable groups experienced “increased financial strain as the price rises meant they were spending more on alcohol.”
In the study, it was revealed that those with alcohol dependence would just use their existing coping strategies, such as borrowing money or spending less on food or clothing.
It was also found that people with alcohol dependence received little information or support prior to the introduction of MUP, though there “is no clear evidence this led directly to any harmful outcomes.”
The free-market think tank Institute of Economic Affairs has criticised the measures saying that “there is little evidence of health and social benefits to offset this cost.”
“The Scottish Government will try to put a brave face on it, but there is now little doubt that minimum pricing has been a failed experiment that has cost Scottish consumers £270 million,” said Snowdon.