Minimum Unit Pricing: Explained

Alcohol harm is a serious and growing issue across the UK, contributing to rising hospital admissions, increasing mortality, and placing significant pressure on families, communities, and the NHS. One of the most targeted and evidence-based approaches to address this challenge is Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP). This film provides a clear and comprehensive overview of MUP: - What it is and how it works - Who it affects - The evidence behind it – including robust evaluations from Scotland and Wales - Lessons learned and how the policy could be implemented and improved in England With expert insights, real-world data, and a focus on health inequalities, this film explains why MUP is considered one of the most impactful alcohol policies available – and why now is the time to act. Featuring interviews with Professor Colin Angus and Professor John Holmes of the University of Sheffield, Dr Katherine Severi of IAS, and Jake Shepherd of the Social Market Foundation. 00:00 - Intro 00:38 - What is MUP? 02:57: Scottish MUP evaluation 03:53: Findings in Scotland 07:00: Findings in Wales 07:34: Why did deaths still increase? 08:18: Impact on dependent drinkers 10:01: Impact on low-income drinkers 11:23: Recouping windfall retailer profits 13:32: How can England improve on the policy? Literature referred to in the film includes: - Scottish evaluation of MUP: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/evaluating-the-impact-of-minimum-unit-pricing-for-alcohol-in-scotland-a-synthesis-of-the-evidence/ - Welsh evaluation: https://www.gov.wales/evaluation-minimum-price-alcohol-wales-research-retailers-and-quantitative-analysis-summary-html - The price is right: Minimum unit pricing for alcohol and the case for a windfall tax: https://www.smf.co.uk/publications/the-price-is-right/