Ireland has introduced the minimum price per unit of alcoholic for beverages sold in alcohol shops, other shops and supermarkets, British public broadcaster BBC reports.
Neighbouring Scotland has positive experience with the measure aimed at reducing alcohol consumption. The UK country introduced minimum unit pricing in 2018 and the next year alcohol consumption dropped to its lowest level in more than two decades.
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In Ireland, statistics from the country’s Revenue Commissioners showed that alcohol consumption levels in 2020 were 10.07 litres of pure alcohol per person, only slightly down, by 6.6%, on the previous year despite the closure of many pubs and restaurants for large parts of 2020.
Following the introduction of the alcohol pricing system, a normal bottle of wine cannot be sold for less than EUR 7.40 and a can of beer for less than EUR 1.70. Stronger beverages will be more expensive. For example, the cheapest 0.7 litre bottle of whiskey will cost EUR 22, BBC reports.
Ireland gets tough with alcohol, introduces minimum price for beverages
