News Release - Minimum pricing of alcoholMinimum pricing for alcohol and a ban on off-sales promotions would save hundreds of lives every year, according to research commissioned by the Scottish Government and carried out by experts at Sheffield University.
Findings show that, using an example minimum price of 40p per unit combined with a ban on promotions, alcohol-related deaths would fall by about 70 in the first year of the policy and about 370 per year after 10 years of operation - a drop in such deaths of nearly 20 per cent.
It also shows that a minimum pricing policy would lead to significant falls in alcohol-related illnesses and crimes, leading to yearly savings for taxpayers.
It would also have economic benefits - including nearly 30,000 fewer absence days from work every year, using the 40p example with a promotions ban.
The report confirms that the greatest impact of the policy will be on heavy drinkers, who tend to choose cheap, higher-strength products such as white cider and own label spirits.
These drinkers would see the highest additional spend on alcohol and the biggest fall in consumption as a result. Moderate drinkers, by contrast, will barely be affected at all. . . . . .
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