Wales’ ‘Strongbow Tax’ May Lead to Higher Alcohol Prices
Wales is considering raising its minimum unit pricing for alcohol to combat consumption
Wales, Alcohol, Strongbow Tax, Minimum Unit Pricing, Sarah Murphy
Cardiff: Wales is looking at increasing its minimum unit pricing for alcohol, which some folks are calling the ‘Strongbow tax’. This idea kicked off back in March 2020, starting at 50p per unit.
The whole point of this initiative was to tackle the sale of cheap booze and help reduce the amount of alcohol that some people consume. Sarah Murphy, the minister for mental health, mentioned that since this law came into play, there’s been less cheap alcohol floating around, which is a good sign for reducing alcohol-related issues.
A recent report came out saying that the minimum unit pricing has worked pretty well. It even suggested bumping the price up to at least 65p per unit. Sounds like a solid plan, right?
When they first rolled this out, there were worries that raising prices would just push people to illegal substances instead. But Murphy was happy to see that this hasn’t happened, which is a relief.
She also pointed out that this pricing law is just one part of a bigger strategy to deal with alcohol issues. The Welsh government is putting over £67 million a year into helping with substance misuse, including special funding for kids and young people.
Back when they introduced this pricing, it was nicknamed the “Strongbow tax” because it hit strong, cheap beers and ciders the hardest. For instance, a regular pint of beer or cider has about 2.5 units, so it can’t be sold for less than £1.25. A bottle of wine, which has around 10 units, would cost at least £5.
Now, they’re planning a 12-week consultation with everyone involved to discuss this further. Many people working in the field of alcohol harm are really on board with this legislation.
Andrew Misell from Alcohol Change UK commented that this report shows that price really does matter when it comes to reducing alcohol harm. The minimum unit pricing stops the sale of cheap, strong alcohol, which is often the most harmful.
He also noted that there hasn’t been much evidence of negative side effects since the law was introduced, like people switching to illegal drugs or brewing their own alcohol at home.
However, he did mention that for some people who depend on alcohol, especially those with lower incomes, this could add financial pressure. The solution isn’t to lower prices but to provide better support and treatment for those struggling with alcohol dependency.
Looking ahead, Misell believes that minimum unit pricing should continue and be raised to at least 65p per unit to keep up with inflation. Sounds like a plan to me!