The Government has confirmed it will not be introducing minimum unit pricing (MUP) in publishing its response to the alcohol strategy consultation. A proposed ban on multi-buy promotions has also been dropped, but previous plans for a 'below cost ban' have been resurrected, meaning alcohol will not be sold at lower than duty+VAT to 'stop the worst cases of heavy discounting'.
In 2012 the Government's new alcohol strategy announced it would "introduce a new minimum unit price". However by 2013 it was stating it was listening to "powerful arguments on both sides" following consultation on a 45 pence MUP and other measures. Health bodies and other supporters, including Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, leveled that the Government had given in to industry lobbying.
The Home Office though insist they have not ruled minimum pricing out - in the full consultation response Home Office Minister Theresa May states "we are not rejecting MUP – merely delaying it until we have conclusive evidence that it will be effective." Words not likely to impress many health and academic groups who already regard evidence around minimum pricing as conclusive. A proposed multi-buy promotions ban was also dropped due to "no convincing evidence that it would have a significant effect in reducing consumption", despite recent evidence to the contrary from Scotland and the majority of consultation responses supporting it.
The Home Office consultation itself also irked minimum pricing supporters. The main question asked 'do you agree that a 45 pence minimum price would achieve these aims [of significantly reducing alcohol related harm]' with no option on the actual level. But when Home Office minister Jeremy Brown told the Commons that 56% of people disagreed with the statement, he did not highlight that some may have done so as they felt the minimum price should have been higher. Pressed on this issue, he stated "we do not know whether the majority disagreed because they thought it should be twice as high or half as high."
The University of Sheffield have also published new research examining the impacts on minimum pricing on specific income groups. The research, 'produced at the request of the UK Government to inform consultation and impact assessments', seems to counter many of the reasons against MUP and the Government's decision: "Minimum unit pricing (MUP) policies would be effective in reducing ... alcohol-related harms... Moderate drinkers would experience only small impacts from MUP policies" it states. Further work estimated a minimal impact of a below cost ban "approximately 40 to 50 times smaller than the estimated impact of a 45p MUP".
Health groups and other supporters have certainly been taken for a rough ride; some were reported to quit memberhip of the responsibility deal. Interestingly even Public Health England expressed its disappointment. See responses from Alcohol Concern, Alcohol Research UK and the BMA.
On the other 'side', Miles Beale of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association welcomed the news having been a vocal opponent of MUP and proponent of the notion it would 'punish responsible drinkers'. Alcohol industry body the Portman Group welcomed the Government's commitment to take forward partnership working with the industry including removing alcohol units from the market and improving labelling.
So after all, Scotland will be going alone on its mission to implement minimum pricing.
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