Scotland: Scottish alcohol sales increase to equivalent of 41 bottles of vodka per adult
The Telegraph
By Simon Johnson, Scottish Political Editor
May 25, 2016
SNP ministers have attempted to bolster their fragile legal case for introducing alcohol minimum pricing by pointing to new figures showing Scottish sales increased last year to the equivalent of 41 bottles of vodka per adult.
The NHS Scotland report found a downward trend in sales over recent years had reversed in 2015, mainly due to a greater proportion being sold through supermarkets and off-licences, which hit their highest level since records began.
The Scottish sales were 20 per cent higher than in England and Wales. More than twice as much vodka was bought through off-sales per adult north of the Border.
The report found 10.8 litres of pure alcohol was sold per adult in Scotland – equivalent to 41 bottles of vodka, 116 bottles of wine or 477 pints of beer in the year.
Researchers also looked at prices and found the average price of a unit of alcohol sold through off-sales was 52p, unchanged for the past two years. This is more than the 50p minimum price SNP ministers had planned to charge before the scheme was challenged in the courts.
Aileen Campbell, the new Public Health Minister, said the figures supported the case for minimum pricing as there is a direct link between price and the harm caused.
But the whisky industry said a recent ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling made it clear that minimum pricing is a significant barrier to trade and it would be in breach of EU law if less restrictive ways of achieving the same results were available.
The ECJ suggested using a tax instead to increase the price of alcohol but said it was up to the Scottish courts to decide if this would be as effective in achieving the desired public health benefit. Legal experts have predicted the Court of Session will now likely rule against minimum pricing.
The increase in consumption came despite the Scottish Government banning discounts on bulk purchases of alcohol in 2010, such as buy-one-get-one-free deals.
Ms Campbell said: “We remain absolutely committed to introducing minimum unit pricing and this report adds to the wealth of evidence which supports this policy. We also welcome the fact that the European courts have returned this matter to the Scottish courts for a final decision.”
Dr Mark Robinson, senior public health information manager at NHS Health Scotland, said the figures were “concerning”. He added: “Higher levels of alcohol consumption result in higher levels of alcohol-related harm and these present a substantial public health and economic cost to Scotland.”
The amount of pure alcohol sold is up slightly from 10.7 litres in 2014 and is now equivalent to 20.5 units per week, more than the new UK-wide guidelines of 14 units a week for men and women.
Almost three quarters of alcohol was sold through off-sales in 2015, which was the highest market share since recording began in 1994.
Around half of alcohol bought in off-licences and supermarkets cost under 50p per unit, down from a high of 77 per cent in 2013. The amount of beer sold below this price has increased by 11 per cent in the past two years, equivalent to more than 30 million bottles.
Graeme Littlejohn, spokesman for the Scotch Whisky Association, said more needed to be done to tackle alcohol-related harm but Scottish Government research showed minimum pricing would not reduce the numbers “drinking at hazardous and harmful levels.”