Minimum alcohol pricing has cost Scots £270m, think tank claims
The IndependentGet the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The report, titled The Hangover: The Cost Of Minimum Alcohol Pricing In Scotland, for the Institute of Economic Affairs, claimed the policy has had little positive impact on employment, crime and health. Our estimate suggests that minimum pricing has cost Scottish drinkers more than a quarter of a billion pounds Christopher Snowdon, Institute of Economic Affairs The Scottish Government said minimum pricing aimed to reduce alcohol-related harms, including death, crime and unemployment, by raising the price of the cheap, off-trade alcohol purchased in supermarkets and off-licences. Christopher Snowdon, a co-author of the report and an economist at the IEA, said: “Our estimate suggests that minimum pricing has cost Scottish drinkers more than a quarter of a billion pounds. The policy could be dropped tomorrow without costing the Government a penny.” A Scottish Government spokesman said: “In 2020 we saw total alcohol sales reported as falling to their lowest level for 26 years.
History of this topic
Alcohol prices rise today- Find out how much the cost of your tipple will increase by
The Independent
Minimum unit pricing for alcohol linked to ‘significant’ reduction in deaths
The Independent
Scotland alcohol advertising ban could ‘cost jobs’ in whisky industry, warns MP
The Independent
Alcohol sales in Scotland hit 25 year low after minimum unit pricing introduced
The IndependentDiscover Related
