July 17, 2013

expert reaction to government rejection of alcohol minimum unit pricing policy

Jeremy Browne announced the government decision to shelve plans for a minimum price for a unit of alcohol in England and Wales. 

Dr James Nicholls, Research Manager at Alcohol Research UK, said:

“The Prime Minister gave an unambiguous commitment to minimum unit pricing in his introduction to the 2012 Alcohol Strategy.  His subsequent U-turn suggests the Government is unable, or unwilling, to stand up to lobbying from powerful business interests.  The evidence on minimum unit pricing has not weakened – indeed it has become stronger since the Alcohol Strategy was released. 

“With both MUP and the proposed multibuy ban now abandoned, and no mention of the proposed public health-based licensing objective, few substantial evidence-based proposals to limit alcohol-related harm remain from the original Strategy.  The Strategy now looks increasingly hollow.  If the Government wishes to tackle alcohol-related harm, it must be prepared to make difficult decisions based on the best evidence available.”

Dr John Holmes, a research fellow from the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group at the University of Sheffield, said:

“The proposed ban on below cost selling would only affect the prices of the very cheapest alcohol and, consequently, it would only have a very small impact on the problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption. 

“Although this is a move towards tackling the problems associated with cheap alcohol, the Government’s previous policy of setting a 45p minimum unit price would be a much more effective approach.”