Minimum Alcohol Pricing: What does it mean for me?

The Government has voted to introduce a minimum pricing of 10c per gram of alcohol.

Ministers have approved the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol.

Minister of State at the Department of Health, Frank Feighan, says it will ensure that cheap strong alcohol is not available at what he calls "pocket money" prices.

The lead in time for the measure is January 2022.

Today's decision to approve minimum alcohol pricing has been welcomed by many but has left many consumers with questions.

Here we will take a look at what minimum alcohol pricing means for you.

What is minimum unit pricing?

Minimum unit pricing (MUP) establishes a 'floor price' beneath which alcohol cannot be legally sold.

This price is based on the amount of alcohol in a product and is measured in grams.

To put the measurement in practical terms, one standard drink in Ireland has 10gms of alcohol.

This pricing is linked to the strength of the alcohol product.

What is the new 'floor price' for alcohol?

The Government has voted to introduce a minimum pricing of 10c per gram of alcohol.

The stronger your drink of choice, the more expensive it will be to purchase.

Does this mean prices in pubs will be going up?

No, the introduction of MUP won't affect alcohol prices in pubs, clubs and restaurants as alcohol in these establishments are already sold well above the threshold for MUP.

MUP will largely impact the price of alcohol sold in supermarkets and some off-licences.

So, how much will my pint/can/bottle of wine cost me from January?

Once MUP is introduced in January 2022, the price of the cheapest alcohol products will rise.

The more alcohol in any given product, the more it will cost.

The minimum price of a pint of lager will be around €1.98 while the cheapest you will get a can will be €1.70.

A bottle of wine will be sold for no less than €7.40.

Whiskey and gin are among the priciest with a 700ml bottle costing at least €22.09.

For those who already pay more than the above prices for their alcohol, the introduction of MUP will have little impact.

The purpose of MUP is to target the sale of cheap alcohol.

Why is cheap alcohol a problem?

The sale of cheap alcohol is thought to be a major contributor to harmful and binge drinking.

According to Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, a woman can reach her low risk weekly drinking limit of 11 standard drinks for just €5.49.

While men can reach their low risk weekly drinking limit of 17 standard drinks for less than €9.

Alcohol Action Ireland said that increasing the price of alcohol has been found to reduce alcohol consumption, hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption and alcohol dependence.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has found "indisputable evidence that the price of alcohol matters. If the price of alcohol goes up, alcohol-related harm goes down".

How much of an issue is alcohol abuse in Ireland today?

In 2019, 7,546 people in Ireland were treated for problem alcohol use.

According to the National Drug-Related Deaths Index, in 2013 there were approximated three alcohol-related deaths per day in Ireland.

According to WHO, harmful use of alcohol is responsible for over 88 deaths a month in Ireland while one-in-four deaths of young men aged between 15-39 can be attributed to alcohol.

In 2019, 7,546 people were treated for problem alcohol use. Data from the National Drug Treatment Reporting System shows that between 2013 and 2019, 53,200 people received treatment for alcohol misuse.

The Health Research Board (HRB) found that over half of drinkers (1.35 million) aged between 18 and 75-years-old were classified as harmful drinkers.

Harmful and dependent drinking are both highest among the 18-24-year-old age group.

Binge drinking is a major driver of alcohol harm. The HRB found 75% of alcohol in Ireland is consumed as part of a binge drinking session.

A survey conducted by the HRB found 13% of men and 9% of women drank the HSE's low-risk weekly guidelines in one sitting in the previous week.

Liver disease rates are increasing rapidly in Ireland while 900 people are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancers every year.

Will the North be introducing MUP?

MUP will largely impact the price of alcohol sold in supermarkets and some off-licences.

There are no plans to introduce the law in Northern Ireland before the next Stormont elections in May 2022.

In July 2020, NI Health Minister Robin Swann committed to a public consultation on the introduction of minimum pricing for alcohol.

Have any other countries introduced MUP?

The Scottish Government introduced minimum unit pricing on alcohol in 2018.

NHS research found that in the year following the introduction of MUP, the amount of alcohol sold in Scotland's shops fell.

The volume of pure alcohol sold per person dropped by 3.6% from 7.4 to 7.1 litres.

MUP has also been introduced in two Canadian provinces - Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

Both provinces saw a decrease in the total alcohol consumption. In British Columbia, a 10% increase in the average minimum price of alcohol was associated with a 32% fall in wholly alcohol-related deaths.

It also found it led to reduced crime including alcohol-related traffic offences.

If you are concerned about your own or a loved one's drinking, please contact a support service. Comprehensive contact information for support services can be found here and here.

• HSE Alcohol and Drugs Helpline: 1800 459 459, [e-mail]
• Alcoholics Anonymous: 01 842 0700, [e-mail] 
• SASSY: Substance Abuse Service Specific to Youth: 01 856 6837, [e-mail] 
• Samaritans: 116 123, text HELP to 51444, [e-mail]
• Always call 999 (or 112) if someone is seriously ill, injured or their life is at risk.