The Irish government has signed off on a long-delayed plan to introduce Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol from the start of next year in a bid to reduce alcohol abuse and health spending, a minister announced on Tuesday.
"I am delighted to learn that the Cabinet have just approved my recommendation ... on the need commence Minimum Unit Pricing in Ireland," minister of state for health Frank Feighan said in a Twitter post following a cabinet meeting.
"The lead in time for this measure will be January 2022."
The law means a minimum price for alcohol of 10 cents per gram.
"MUP is a targeted public health measure which will ensure that cheap strong alcohol is not available to our most vulnerable people, children and young people at “pocket money” prices," he added.
I am delighted to learn that the Cabinet have just approved my recommendation to Minister @DonnellyStephen on the need commence Minimum Unit Pricing in Ireland as enacted in Section 11 of the Public Health Alcohol Act 2018. @LeoVaradkar @SimonHarrisTD @roinnslainte @FineGael #MUP
— Frank Feighan T.D. (@FrankFeighan) May 4, 2021
New Pricing
A 500ml can of lager would cost a minimum of €1.70, more than double what some supermarkets are currently charging for their cheapest brands.
A 700ml bottle of gin would cost at least €22.09, compared to under €14 at some supermarkets today.
The price rises are governed by a law that was passed in 2018, but the government decided to wait until a similar measure was put in place in Northern Ireland before implementing it.
The Irish government decided to proceed alone after Northern Ireland's devolved government indicated it would not set a minimum price before elections due next year.
Feighan said the experience of Scotland, which registered falls in alcohol consumption following the introduction of a similar measure in 2018, helped convince the government to introduce the measure.
News by Reuters, edited by ESM. For more Drinks news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
