An evaluation of the impact of a national Minimum Unit Price on alcohol policy on alcohol behaviours

Background

In 2018, Scotland pioneered national legislation which set a Minimum Unit Price (MUP) of 50 pence (∼US$0.64, €0.59) per unit of UK alcohol sold (8 g/10 ml). To inform policy development, we examine the policy effect using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C), employing longitudinal data for over 17 200 individuals.

Methods

The effect of MUP on AUDIT-C scores is inferred by employing difference-in-difference regression. Pre- and post-intervention alcohol behaviours of individuals from Scotland are compared to a matched ‘control’ from England. Drinking at hazardous and harmful levels could be identified, as well as the frequency of alcohol consumption, number of drinks and heavy episodic drinking. Estimates adjust for demographic, socioeconomic and health characteristics. Potential inequalities by gender, age and household income are examined.

Results

MUP led to an estimated 5.3% reduction in the number of drinks consumed on drinking occasions, though a statistically significant effect on overall reported AUDIT-C scores or drinking at hazardous levels was not detected, with few differential effects for subgroups.

Conclusions

Differences in the findings of this research compared to other studies may be explained by differences in population coverage collected in the survey data, compared to more comprehensive, population-wide administrative data, as well as sample attrition.