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Minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland: How much booze will cost under new rules
Aftab Ali

This is how much alcohol will cost in Scotland under new minimum pricing rules



The big news story in the UK today is that Scotland is set to become the first country in the world to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol.

The country’s highest court gave its backing to the controversial measure in what ministers in Edinburgh have hailed as an “historic and far-reaching judgment.”


The move comes after figures showed there were 1,265 alcohol related deaths in Scotland in 2016 - a rise of 10% on the previous year.

Alcohol misuse results in about 670 hospital admissions and 24 deaths a week - with the Scottish Government saying death rates are almost 1.5 times higher now than they were in the early 1980s.


And it estimated that alcohol misuse costs Scotland some £3.6 billion a year - the equivalent of £900 for every adult.

With sales figures showing that, in 2016, 17% more alcohol was sold per person in Scotland than in England and Wales, we take a look at how the change will hit your pocket:

A 31cl bottle of Frosty Jack’s cider contains 22.5 units of alcohol. It currently costs £3.59, but will go up to £11.25.
A 150cl of Lambrini contains 11.3 units of alcohol. Currently costing £3, it will rise to at least £5.65.
A 70cl bottle of Tesco Imperial Vodka (37.5% ABV) contains 26 units. Priced at £11 at the moment, it will cost a minimum of £13.
A 568ml can of Tennent’s Lager under minimum pricing would have to cost at least £1.15.
Four 440ml cans of five per cent strength lager would cost at least £4.40.
A bottle of wine of 12% alcohol strength would cost at least £4.50.
A 70cl bottle of whisky could not be sold for less than £14.

The Evening Times always encourages readers to drink responsibly. Please click here to be taken to the Drinkaware site for helpful advice and information on drinking safely.

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