Unit pricing of alcohol ‘better’ than low-cost selling

A minimum unit price of 60c for alcohol would have a 40 to 50 times greater effect on consumption and health harm than a ban on below-cost selling, according to influential research on drinking.

An English modelling study by the University of Sheffield’s Alcohol Research Group found that a ban on below-cost selling reduced harmful drinkers’ annual consumption by just 0.08%, compared to a 3.7% reduction for a 45p (60c) minimum unit price.

The research said a 45p minimum unit price on alcohol in England would save over 600 lives a year more than a simple ban on selling below cost.