What is minimum unit pricing?
Minimum unit pricing (MUP) sets a legal floor on the price of alcohol, based on how many units of alcohol a drink contains. In Scotland the minimum price is 65p per unit. Wales raised its minimum from 50p to 65p on 1 October 2026. England and Northern Ireland have no minimum price.
A unit is 10ml of pure alcohol. The minimum price is the number of units multiplied by the price per unit. At 65p, a 70cl bottle of 40% whisky, which holds 28 units, cannot be sold for less than £18.20. A typical bottle of wine must cost at least about £6. It is not a tax. Any extra money from higher prices goes to retailers and producers, not the government.
Scotland introduced MUP at 50p in May 2018 after a long legal battle with the drinks industry. It rose to 65p in September 2024. Wales brought in a 50p minimum in March 2020. The policy mainly affects cheap, strong drinks such as white cider and own-brand spirits, favoured by heavy drinkers. Shops cannot sell below the minimum price, including in multi-buy deals.
Studies in Scotland found MUP was linked to fewer alcohol-related deaths and hospital admissions, especially in deprived areas. Critics say it hits responsible drinkers on low incomes, boosts supermarket profits rather than raising tax, and does little for dependent drinkers. Supporters say it targets the drinks causing most harm. England has so far chosen not to follow.
Many on the left support MUP as a public health measure that cuts deaths in poorer communities.
The right is divided: some back it on health grounds, others see it as a nanny state tax on ordinary drinkers.
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Play Population Decides freeCommon questions
Does England have minimum unit pricing?
No. Only Scotland and Wales have a minimum unit price for alcohol.
How much is the minimum unit price in Scotland?
65p per unit since September 2024.
Has minimum unit pricing worked?
Research in Scotland links it to fewer alcohol-related deaths, especially in deprived areas.