Minimum unit pricing for alcohol (MUP) was implemented in May 2018 at a rate of 50p per unit. The policy is subject to a sunset clause, which means it will lapse unless renewed by the Scottish Parliament by end of April 2024.

Evaluation so far provides:
• Strong evidence that MUP has delivered on its intended aim of reducing overall population consumption in Scotland, with a 3% decrease in alcohol sales.
• Promising indications that it has reduced consumption by hazardous and harmful drinkers, though this is less conclusive.
• Strong evidence that the policy has delivered its overall purpose of reducing alcohol-related harm, with 268 lives saved and 899 hospital admissions averted each year, on average.

MUP may have mitigated some of the pandemic’s negative effects, as the rise in deaths since the pandemic in Scotland was not as sharp as in England. MUP remains an essential component of Scotland’s alcohol strategy to reduce our high levels of alcohol consumption and harm. However, the effect of 50p per unit has been significantly eroded by inflation since the legislation was passed in 2012. SHAAP and AFS recommend that the MUP is uprated to at least 65p per unit, and a mechanism is introduced to automatically uprate the price in the future, to ensure alcohol does not become more affordable. This will optimise the effectiveness of MUP in saving and improving lives