Evaluation of Minimum Unit Pricing of Alcohol: A Mixed Method Natural Experiment in Scotland.

Clare Beeston,Lucie Giles,Rachel Mcadams,Elinor Dickie,Neil Craig,Mark Robinson,Ruth Mellor,Jane Ford,Megan Macpherson,Deborah Shipton

doi:10.3390/ijerph17103394

Abstract

In May 2018, Scotland became the first country in the world to implement minimum unit pricing (MUP) for all alcoholic drinks sold in licensed premises in Scotland. The use of a Sunset Clause in the MUP legislation was a factor in successfully resisting legal challenges by indicating that the final decision on a novel policy would depend on its impact. An overarching evaluation has been designed and the results will provide important evidence to inform the parliamentary vote on the future of MUP in Scotland. The evaluation uses a mixed methods portfolio of in-house, commissioned, and separately funded studies to assess the impact of MUP across multiple intended and unintended outcomes related to compliance, the alcoholic drinks industry, consumption, and health and social harms. Quantitative studies to measure impact use a suitable control where feasible. Qualitative studies assess impact and provide an understanding of the lived experience and mechanism of change for key sub-groups. As well as providing important evidence to inform the parliamentary vote, adding to the international evidence on impact and experience of alcohol pricing policy across a broad range of outcomes, this approach to evaluating novel policy interventions may provide guidance for future policy innovations.

Highlights

Following a period of high and increasing rates of alcohol-related harm in Scotland [1], in 2009 the Scottish Government proposed a comprehensive strategy that aimed to reduce population levels of alcohol consumption and, in turn, levels of associated health and social harms [2]
Using existing evidence on the relationship between alcohol price, consumption, and harm, in 2016 it was estimated that a 50 ppu minimum unit price would reduce population alcohol consumption in Scotland by 3.5% per year, leading to over 120 fewer alcohol-attributable deaths and over 2000 fewer alcohol-attributable hospital admissions per year when the policy reached its full effect, with effects most pronounced among those drinking at harmful levels, those on lower incomes [10]
Clause in the minimum unit pricing (MUP) legislation was a factor in successfully resisting legal challenges by indicating that the final decision on a novel policy would depend on its impact

Summary

Introduction

Following a period of high and increasing rates of alcohol-related harm in Scotland [1], in 2009 the Scottish Government proposed a comprehensive strategy that aimed to reduce population levels of alcohol consumption and, in turn, levels of associated health and social harms [2]. The introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol was a central part of this strategic approach and, following an initial unsuccessful attempt, the necessary primary legislation was passed by the Scottish Parliament in. The initial level was set at 50 pence per unit (ppu), estimated to affect 47% of all alcohol sold through the off-trade in Scotland in 2017 [3]. The policy was implemented on 1 May, 2018, when Scotland became the first country to set a strength-based floor price which applied to all alcohol sold in or through licensed premises. Public Health 2020, 17, 3394; doi:10.3390/ijerph17103394 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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