The Welsh Parliament (Senedd) has given the all clear to a proposal to increase the minimum price per unit of alcohol.
In a statement yesterday (3 February), the Senedd said it had approved regulations to increase the minimum unit price (MUP) of alcohol from 50p to 65p ($0.64 – $0.89).
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The move brings Welsh MUP policy in line with what exists in Scotland, which voted to increase the level by 30% to 65p in April 2024.
Wales brough the MUP policy into force in 2020 but it was due to end in May this year, according to a clause in its Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018.
In its statement yesterday, the Welsh Parliament said the MUP “is designed to tackle alcohol-related harm, including hospital admissions and deaths, by reducing alcohol consumption among hazardous and harmful drinkers”.
The Senedd cited independent research it had commissioned which showed hiking the MUP to the 65p mark could prevent over 900 alcohol-linked deaths across 20 years and lower the number of “harmful drinkers” by close to 5,000.
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By GlobalDataFollowing the vote, Welsh minister for mental health and wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, said: “Cheap, high-strength alcohol disproportionately affects hazardous and harmful drinkers. The evidence is clear – minimum unit pricing works.
“We have today taken a decision which will save lives and help protect many people from the harms caused by drinking too much alcohol.”
Alcohol harm awareness charity Alcohol Change also welcomed the Senedd’s move.
Andrew Misell, director for Wales at Alcohol Change UK, said: “Inflation has steadily eroded the impact of the minimum unit price since it was introduced in 2020. This increase restores the policy’s effectiveness and ensures it can continue to reduce the availability of the cheapest, strongest alcohol that causes the most harm.”
Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservative party, criticised the MUP policy, stressing it “has not worked”.
In a statement yesterday, he said: “It has only served to hit hard-pressed Welsh consumers that don’t have a drink problem in their pockets, and resulted in problem drinkers consuming stronger booze and going without food or heating.
“The Welsh Conservatives will scrap the Minimum Unit Price for alcohol, lower costs for consumers, and invest in targeted rehabilitation support at those struggling with alcohol abuse instead.”
