Introduction of Minimum Unit Price for Alcohol approved in Welsh Assembly Vote

The Welsh Government will introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol of 50p from 2 March 2020, with regulations today being approved by the National Assembly for Wales.

The new law supports the Welsh Government’s work to address harmful drinking by tackling the availability and affordability of cheap, strong alcohol, which is part of wider efforts to improve and protect the health of the population of Wales.

Researchers have suggested that the proposed changes would: 

• result in 66 fewer deaths and 1,281 fewer hospital admissions in Wales per year 
• would save the Welsh NHS more than £90 million over 20 years in direct healthcare costs
• would reduce workplace absence, which is estimated to fall by up to 9,800 days per year
• over a 20 year period, the introduction of a MUP could contribute £783 million to the Welsh economy in terms of the reduction in alcohol-related illness, crime and workplace absence.