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The study by Alcohol Health Alliance UK, a coalition of more than 55 organisations, shows it is possible to drink the low-risk weekly guideline of 14 units for just £2.68 – about the price of a cup of coffee in many high street chains.
The research found:
- Cider is the cheapest available product in England and is being sold for as little as 19p per unit of alcohol, meaning that consumers can reach the weekly low-risk drinking guideline of 14 units of alcohol for just £2.68.
- One bottle of the cheapest cider contains more alcohol than eight pints of beer – and costs 8p less than a single pint in a pub.
- For the price of a standard cinema ticket (£7.11), you could buy two bottles of wine, containing 19.5 units, and have 13p change leftover.
- A 1-litre bottle of vodka, which contains 37.5 units, is cheaper than a large pizza at Dominos (£14.99).
The Alcohol Health Alliance UK is now calling on the government to commit to tackling cheap, high-strength alcohol in its review of the alcohol duty system and by introducing minimum unit pricing in England.
Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, said: “To tackle the harm alcohol causes, we need to urgently address its price. Alcohol duty is currently too low to cover the costs of alcohol harm to our society. Public Health England estimates that alcohol costs the UK at least £27bn a year. Yet over the past five years, alcohol duty has raised just £10.5-£12.1bn annually. To pay for the costs to society that alcohol imposes, stronger drinks should be taxed more per unit of alcohol. Reforming alcohol duty will help create a fairer system for everyone as well as improving our nation’s health.
“With alcohol-related hospital admissions at record highs, and liver disease rates on the rise, we simply cannot afford alcohol remaining at such low prices.”
Katherine Severi, chief executive at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, added: “Pocket money priced drinks are fuelling rates of harm amongst some of our most vulnerable communities, with strong white ciders in particular proving lethal. Now, more than ever, we need to be fighting fit as a nation and looking to reduce the additional burden on the NHS and emergency services caused by cheap alcohol.
“Scotland has followed the evidence and introduced minimum unit pricing for alcohol, which has effectively removed strong white ciders and other cheap products from the market. This will make a huge difference to those struggling with alcohol problems and their loved ones, as well as easing demands on the health and social care system. Decision-makers in Westminster should look long and hard at this example of an evidence-based policy that saves lives and money.”
