Scotland has called time on cheap and high-strength alcohol products by setting a minimum price shops and pubs can charge.
New legislation brought in today sets a minimum of 50p per unit of alcohol in each product price, it’s thought this will help tackle damage caused by those products.
A two-litre bottle of strong cider, 7.5% abv vol, which contained more than the weekly recommended limit for alcohol, which is 14 units, could be bought for as little as £2.50. It will now cost at least £7.50.
Supermarket own brand vodka, gin and whisky will also rise in price by as much as £3 a bottle, including some cheap wines and multi-pack beers.
The Scottish Government said research shows that the move is expected to save 392 lives in the first five years of implementation.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “We know we need to act now to change people’s attitudes towards alcohol and I am confident that, with the introduction of minimum unit pricing, we are moving in the right direction. Alcohol misuse costs Scotland £3.6 billion each year – that’s £900 for every adult in the country.
“Scotland has the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths in the UK – from today, I hope we will see that change.”
Scotland has become the first country in the world to implement minimum unit pricing for alcohol.