Alcohol sales in Scotland on the rise

Alcohol sales in Scotland increased last year, bucking the downward trend since 2009 and sparking fresh calls for minimum unit pricing.

According to figures from the Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS), published by NHS Health Scotland, 10.7 litres of pure alcohol was purchased per adult in Scotland in 2014 – equivalent to 41 bottles of vodka. The majority (72%) was bought from off-trade establishments, the highest market share since records began in 1994.

Furthermore, the report shows alcohol sales were 18% higher in 2014 compared to England and Wales.

More than double the amount of vodka was sold in off-trade retailers in Scotland than in England and Wales.

The researchers also examined alcohol prices and revealed the average cost of a unit of alcohol sold in the off-trade was 52p – unchanged from 2013 and the first time since 2007 there has not been an annual rise.

Alcohol is still being sold cheaply relative to its strength, according to the report, with more than 50% of sales below 50p.

“It is concerning that the recent falls in population alcohol consumption have not continued and that off-trade alcohol sales may be starting to rise again,” commented Dr Mark Robinson, public health information manager at NHS Health Scotland.

“This has coincided with increasing disposable incomes and wider economic conditions that have kept the price of off-sales alcohol low.

“Higher levels of alcohol consumption result in higher levels of alcohol-related harm and these present a substantial public health and economic cost to Scotland.

“It is therefore important that we continue to monitor these trends to inform and evaluate policy.”