Minimum alcohol pricing to rise by 15p as Senedd backs plans

The minimum price of a unit of alcohol will increase by 30% in Wales from October.

The minimum pricing was introduced in 2020 in a bid to reduce alcohol-related deaths and illnesses in Wales.

The Senedd has now backed Welsh Government plans to increase the Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) to 65p, from the current rate 50p – bringing it in line with the rate in Scotland.

It means a £1 can of lager would cost at least £1.30 – and a 700ml, 37.5% ABV bottle of vodka currently being sold for £15 would rise to at least £17.

The Welsh Government previously said data shows the increase could reduce harmful alcohol consumption and encourage more people to drink at moderate levels.

It could also lower the number of “hazardous drinkers” by more than 6,300 and “harmful drinkers” by nearly 5,000, reducing hospital admissions and alcohol-related deaths.

Independent research commissioned by the Welsh Government found that increasing the minimum unit price to 65p could prevent more than 900 alcohol-related deaths over 20 years, and reduce the number of harmful drinkers by nearly 5,000.

Following the vote in the Senedd, mental health and wellbeing minister Sarah Murphy said: “Cheap, high-strength alcohol disproportionately affects hazardous and harmful drinkers. The evidence is clear – minimum unit pricing works.

“We have taken a decision which will save lives and help protect many people from the harms caused by drinking too much alcohol.”

Andrew Misell, Alcohol Change UK‘s director for Wales, welcomed the decision and 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.”