Ministers Approve Introduction Of Alcohol Minimum Unit Pricing
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It will be set at 10 cent per gram.
Minister of State at the Department of Health, Frank Feighan, says it will ensure that cheap strong alcohol is not available at what he calls pocket money prices.
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
It will lead to an increase across the board for the cheapest cans of beer, bottles of wine and vodka.
According to Revenue Commissioners, alcohol consumption has remained at approximately 11 litres per person since 2015. Donnelly is due to tell Cabinet that a minimum pricing law would discourage harm to public health.
If approved, the new measures would set the price of a bottle of white wine (Chardonnay) at €7.75 and a can of beer at at least €1.32. As it stands, much cheaper alcohol is available to purchase in retailers across the country.
According to RTÉ News, Cabinet is expected to approve the measures, despite no similar law set to be enacted in Northern Ireland.
Retailers have expressed concern that consumers will simply travel to Northern counties to avail of cheaper alcohol prices, and urged the government to wait until similar measures are introduced across the island of Ireland.
Business Editor
Retailers have expressed deep concern at Government plans to introduce minimum unit price (MUP) rules for alcohol before similar measures are put in place in Northern Ireland.
Retail Ireland has warned that such a move, without alignment with the North, is likely to lead to a surge in cross-border shopping, with people travelling into Northern Ireland to seek lower prices.
The result of this, the organisation predicts, will be a major loss of sales of not only alcohol but other goods to businesses in the Republic. If consumers travel to Northern Ireland to shop, they will inevitably spend money in a wide range of retail and hospitality outlets, not just in grocery and off-trade, said Retail Ireland director, Arnold Dillon.
What is minimum alcohol pricing (MUP)?
Minimum unit pricing (MUP) is a “floor price” for which alcohol cannot legally be sold and is based on the amount of alcohol in a product, measured in grammes.
One standard drink in Ireland contains 10 grammes of alcohol and an MUP would apply per standard drink.
What will it mean for buying alcohol in Dunnes, Tesco, and other shops and off-licenses?
According to the memo, the new legislation would see a minimum price of €1.32 introduced on a 440ml can of lager, a €7.75 minimum on a 750ml bottle of chardonnay, and a €20.71 charge on a 700ml bottle of gin or vodka.
Revealed: The amount of alcohol Irish people consume per year as Covid blamed for more home drinking
Research from The Health Research Board shows that Ireland now has the ninth highest alcohol consumption rate in the world.
Research from The Health Research Board show that Ireland now has the ninth highest alcohol consumption rate in the world.
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