MSPs have voted to increase the minimum unit price of alcohol by 30%, bringing a bottle of whisky which now costs £14 to £18.20 in Scotland from September. Scotland became the first country in the world to set a minimum price (MUP) for alcohol in 2018. In the six years since, the price per unit of alcohol has been 50p. However, the law was set to be revisited in April this year, and MSPs have now voted to increase the minimum unit pricing in the country. From September, the 50p MUP will be raised to 65p, a move designed to reflect rises in inflation. The new minimum was approved by the Scottish Parliament this week after receiving 88 votes in favour, with 28 against. Minimum unit pricing is calculated using this formula: the price per unit (currently £0.50) x the strength of alcohol (ABV) x the volume in litres. The table below details the increase in cost for different forms of alcohol. Type of alcohol Old price (MUP 50p) New price (MUP 65p) Whisky (70cl, 40% ABV) £14 £18.20 Vodka (70cl, 37.5% ABV) £13.13 £17.06 Red wine (75cl, 12.5% ABV) £4.69 £6.09 Cider (1l, 5% ABV) £2.50 £3.25 Lager (500ml, 4% ABV) £1.00 £1.30 Independent retailers have mixed reaction to the increase in minimum unit pricing on alcohol. Hussan Lal, president of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) in Scotland, says the organisation
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
