The SNP’s minimum alcohol price law has just left Scottish drinkers poorer – and has had ‘no significant effect’ on reducing consumption

The minimum unit price made no “significant” difference to heavy drinkers – except that they paid £24 more per week for their booze after the policy came into force.

A study of hundreds of Scots using drug and alcohol treatment services found that SNP policy had no significant effect on their drinking or health.

The only notable difference before and after the policy was introduced was that they spent significantly more on alcohol.

Researchers interviewed Scottish and English drinkers receiving treatment for alcohol dependence before and after the MUP came into force.

The revelation is the latest to cast doubt on the landmark policy that was supposed to reduce problem drinking and save lives.

Minimum unit price had no ‘significant’ effect on heavy drinkers, study finds

There has been huge controversy as it is feared it will hit responsible drinkers while failing to tackle the number of alcohol-related deaths.

The survey results follow the latest rise earlier this month, taking the minimum price of alcohol from 50p to 65p per unit.

Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “Contrary to the SNP’s claims, MUP is not the silver bullet for tackling alcohol problems.

“Alcohol-related deaths are at their highest level since 2008, but instead of admitting that the MUP is failing, the SNP has doubled down on its misguided policy and increased prices, which will lead to people skipping meal to afford to drink alcohol.”

Introduced in 2018, the MUP set a minimum price on alcohol, aiming to increase the price of the cheapest and strongest drinks in order to deter problem drinkers.

Researchers from the Universities of Newcastle and Sheffield interviewed hundreds of people using alcohol and drug treatment services in the months before and up to 22 months after MUP came into force.

They concluded: “The introduction of MUP in Scotland has been associated with an increase in the prices paid for alcohol by people with addiction presenting to treatment services.

“There was no evidence of any change in their alcohol consumption or health status.”

Researcher John Holmes, professor of alcohol policy at the University of Sheffield, said: “People receiving treatment for alcohol problems bought large quantities of cheap alcohol. This meant they were paying significantly more for their alcohol after the MUP was introduced.

He added that the “small number” of people participating in the study – more than 700 – makes it difficult to draw many further conclusions about the impacts of MUP.

Professor Holmes said: ‘Other studies show that MUP led to a reduction in alcohol consumption among heavy drinkers and an immediate and significant reduction in deaths from conditions caused solely by alcohol.’

Last year, 1,277 people died in Scotland from alcohol-related problems, the highest figure for 15 years.

Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs think tank, said: “The truth is that minimum pricing has been a fiasco. »

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The MUP has saved hundreds of lives. »