Abstract

In 2018, after six years of legal challenges by global alcohol producers, Scotland became the first country in the world to implement a national MUP policy, setting a limit of 50p ($0.62; €0.56) per unit (10 mL/8 g alcohol) below which alcohol cannot be sold. NHS Health Scotland are leading a comprehensive evaluation of the impact in advance of a 2023 review of the policy, as specified in a sunset clause in the legislation.
The main analysis found that the introduction of MUP was followed by a price increase of 6.4p per gram of alcohol (7.9%) and a reduction of 9.5 g (95% confidence interval 5.1 to 13.9) in off-trade alcohol purchased for each adult per household. Immediate reductions were most notable for beer, spirits, and cider, including own brand spirits and high strength white ciders. The 9.5 g reduction overall is equivalent to slightly more than one unit of alcohol—roughly half a pint of beer, a third of a can of strong cider, or one measure of spirits.