Ministers are facing pressure to bring measures to increase the price of cheap alcohol in supermarkets and off-licences in England by introducing minimum unit pricing for alcohol after a recent report L highlighted the “alarming” death toll in England caused by cheap drinks.
Lord Darzi’s investigation into the NHS report, published earlier this month, said deaths attributed to alcohol stabilised when “tough action” was taken. He was referring to the duty escalator, which increased alcohol duty by two per cent above inflation each year between 2008 and 2014.
Darzi wrote, “Alcohol is becoming more affordable over time, and deaths are rising at an alarming rate. In the pandemic, there was a 10.8 per cent annual increase between 2019 and 2022.”
A two-litre bottle of cider can be bought in England for under £2, which equates to 22p per unit of alcohol.
Health officials believe a review is almost certain given the findings of the report and the rising death toll, even though the government reportedly ruled out minimum unit pricing shortly after winning power.
The Guardian in a recent report quoted statements and demands from various top health campaigners in support of minimum unit pricing in England.
Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said England needed to follow Scotland and Wales by introducing minimum unit pricing, “The evidence is crystal clear. It saves lives.”
Prof Martin McKee, professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said, “If you put up the price of alcohol, it will reduce the amount that is being consumed. The evidence from Scotland is that it does reduce consumption among the heaviest drinkers who experience the most harm… and it does reduce deaths.”
Richard Piper, chief executive of charity Alcohol Change UK, said, "Minimum unit pricing is a targeted measure which does not increase the price of all alcoholic drinks.
“It raises the price of the strongest, cheapest drinks – the ones that cause most harm.”
Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, which promotes evidence-based policies to reduce the harm of alcohol, said minimum unit pricing was not a “magic bullet” but, given the number of deaths, it was “imperative” to do something on prices.
The government has previously ruled out introducing minimum unit pricing for England but, when asked by the Observer, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care did not outrightly deny the possibility, but said, “For too long there has been an unwillingness to lead on issues like smoking, alcohol harm and obesity. Under our health mission we are placing prevention front and centre.
"This means prioritising public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives, including reducing alcohol-related harms.”
Scotland introduced minimum unit pricing in 2018, with an initial minimum of 50p per unit. The minimum price per unit rose on Monday to 65p. This puts the minimum price for a 700ml bottle of 40 per cent ABV whisky at £18.20; a 700ml bottle of 13 per cent wine £6.34; and a litre bottle of 5 per cent alcohol cider £3.25.
Minimum unit pricing in Scotland was associated with a 13.4 per cent reduction in deaths wholly attributable to alcohol consumption. Wales introduced minimum unit pricing in March 2020.
