Minimum pricing for alcohol ‘would punish light drinkers’

Researchers conducted a computer analysis of how people might be expected to respond to a minimum price for alcohol of 45p per unit, or around £1.35 for a large glass of wine.

They concluded that the policy would make the greatest difference to the five per cent of the population whose drinking is categorised as “harmful”.

These are men who consume more than 50 units of alcohol a week and women who consume more than 35.

Harmful drinkers in the bottom fifth of the income bracket were predicted to reduce their alcohol intake by almost 300 units per year with minimum pricing.

This group spends on average just under £2,700 a year on alcohol, with around two fifths of the alcohol consumed bought for less than 45p per unit.

In contrast, moderate drinkers in the lowest income group were predicted to reduce their consumption by a mere 3.8 units per year with minimum pricing – the equivalent of two pints of beer.

Dr John Holmes, from the University of Sheffield, who led the study reported in The Lancet medical journal, said: “Overall, the impact of a minimum unit price policy on moderate drinkers would be very small, irrespective of income.

“The policy would mainly affect harmful drinkers, and it is the low income harmful drinkers – who purchase more alcohol below the minimum unit price threshold than any other group – who would be most affected.

“Policy makers need to balance larger reductions in consumption by harmful drinkers on a
low income against the large health gains that could be experienced in this group from reductions in alcohol-related illness and death.”

Three quarters of the total reduction in alcohol consumption resulting from minimum pricing would occur in harmful drinkers, according to the research.

A minimum alcohol price was expected to prevent 860 alcohol-related deaths and 29,900 hospital admissions per year.

Co-author Professor Petra Meier, director of the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group, said: “Our study finds no evidence to support the concerns highlighted by Government and the alcohol industry that minimum unit pricing would penalise responsible drinkers on low incomes.”