This report provides an analysis of prices and products in the off-trade in the first 12 months following the implementation of MUP. We provide a descriptive analysis of changes in price outcomes (price per unit of alcohol and price per litre) and the range of alcohol products (natural volume sales in different container sizes for single and multipacks; ABV (alcohol by volume); and the introduction and discontinuation of products), as well as natural volume sales and value of sales. We provide comparisons over time and with England & Wales, where MUP was not in place during the time frame under study. This report uses off-trade data on alcoholic drinks at three levels: all products combined; across several alcoholic drink categories; and at a brand level for a sample of popular brands.

Key messages:

• In the first year following the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol (MUP), the average price of alcoholic drink products in the off-trade increased in Scotland to a greater extent than in England & Wales or between the previous two years in Scotland prior to MUP being implemented.
• Supermarkets tended to have lower pricing than convenience stores before MUP, but prices in supermarkets increased more than convenience stores, such that both sectors had similar pricing after MUP was implemented.
• Price increases were most pronounced for types of alcoholic drinks that tended to be priced below £0.50 per unit prior to the introduction of MUP, such as some ciders, perries, and own-brand spirits.
• Decreases were observed in the amount sold in larger single-item containers for products that were priced below £0.50 prior to MUP being implemented, especially for some ciders and own-brand spirits in containers of 1,000ml and over. The amount of beer and cider sold in multipacks with the greatest number of containers declined while the amount sold in smaller multipacks increased.
• There was limited evidence of an effect of MUP on the introduction of new products, the discontinuation of existing products, or for changes to alcohol by volume (ABV).
• Natural volume alcohol sales declined in Scotland in the first year following MUP implementation, while increasing in England & Wales and between the two previous years in Scotland. The larger decreases tended to be in products that were priced below £0.50 per unit of pure alcohol prior to the implementation of MUP.
• The products that increased the least in average price, such as some ready-to-drink beverages, or that decreased in price, such as fortified wines in convenience stores, tended to see increased sales.
• There was evidence for the price increases more than offsetting the reduction in sales volumes. Despite the general reduction in sales volumes, the overall monetary value of these sales increased at a greater rate in Scotland than in England & Wales or between the previous two years in Scotland prior to MUP being implemented.