The World Health Organization published a comprehensive review of minimum pricing policies on alcohol, including summaries of the most recent evidence on their impact for countries to consider. In this blog economist Dr Bhattacharya explains what the review looked at. Read more »
A study on the impact of Scotland’s minimum unit pricing on harmful drinkers and those with alcohol dependence received a lot of press attention lambasting the policy. Here the lead researcher Professor John Holmes, explains the nuances of the results, with both positive and negative findings for those on both sides of the policy debate. Read more »
If the Government is serious about extending healthy life expectancy for all, it must get serious about tackling alcohol. With the Health Disparities White Paper being published soon, IAS’ Dr Alison Giles looks at what should be done. Read more »
Our Head of Research looks at 2012’s Alcohol Strategy a decade on, highlighting the Government’s inertia and failure to achieve the vast majority of what the strategy promised. Read more »
World Trade Organization member states regularly use alcohol industry arguments to prevent and delay the implementation of effective alcohol control policies. Here Dr Barlow explains the findings of her study. Read more »
Corrective taxes on alcohol are very low compared to the economic costs of death and disability in almost all countries, and almost all advanced economies could raise taxes to cover this cost and improve health. Read more »
Public health bodies need to focus on more specific policy aims in order to make a difference and educational campaigns can develop the necessary climate to implement these policies. Read more »
A modelling study looked at how many cancer deaths and cases would be avoided by raising taxes by differing amounts. Here Carolin Kilian gives insight into the study findings and implications. Read more »
Professor Kaner assesses how minimum unit pricing in Scotland and Wales is changing consumption patterns and harmful drinking habits. Read more »
Andrew Misell believes producers’ and consumers’ reactions to the new minimum unit price of alcohol in Wales could lead to a win-win situation for both industry and public health actors Read more »
Governments ‘may consider additionally implementing minimum pricing policies’ as a viable complement to tax increases on alcohol Read more »
The lobby for effective alcohol measures has grown in recent times, Wim van Dalen argues Read more »
Originally posted on the Alcohol Change UK website Read more »
Colin Shevills calls for action on cheap alcohol in England, arguing that the need MUP is ‘becoming hard to ignore’ Read more »
Michael Livingston, Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe University Read more »
Ben Hawkins writes about the pricing policy’s short lived time in the spotlight Read more »
Professor Katy Holloway summarises her findings from a research project investigating the potential for substance switching among Welsh drinkers Read more »
In light of the SMF’s recent report and HM Treasury’s controversial ‘duty-free’ promise, Aveek Bhattacharya asks a pertinent question about the ways in which the alcohol taxation system could be revised Read more »
New research gauges the opinions of the Twitterati on flagship alcohol policy Read more »
For the twenty-third year in a row, the Swedish state-run alcohol retail monopoly, Systembolaget, was ranked most trusted institution in Sweden. Above the police, universities and IKEA. Most consumers want freedom and availability when it comes to other retail markets. So how come Swedes have such a positive opinion on something that put restrictions on the market? Read more »
Not very much, argues Policy Analyst Aveek Bhattacharya, but what little we do know holds promise for the groundbreaking health policy Read more »
Not much – it’s ‘too early to tell’ how well the policy is working, says Alison Douglas of Alcohol Focus Scotland Read more »
The issue may seem more complex than first appears, says Aveek Bhattacharya Read more »
Leicester City public health lead Adam Clarke hopes the Home Secretary will heed his call Read more »
Doug Ford’s latest election promise is one best forgotten, says Norman Giesbrecht Read more »
Result of CAMRA poll should be taken with caution, warns Aveek Bhattacharya Read more »
MUP is a welcome step in the right direction, says Steve Rolles Read more »
Cuts in alcohol excise duties will be harmful, not helpful, to the health of the nation’s citizens, argues Robert Pezzolesi Read more »
Technical issues around the design of tax systems can have dramatic real-world consequences, argues Policy Analyst Aveek Bhattacharya Read more »
Colin Angus, one of the architects of the model behind the policy, explains the health benefits that it will bring Read more »
Laffer curve arguments should not be taken seriously when it comes to alcohol duty, writes Aveek Bhattacharya Read more »
‘The struggle to stop the UK drowning in cheap alcohol can be won, but it requires exceptional powers of endurance,’ writes professor Rob Poole Read more »
Alison Douglas reminds us why the Scottish Government passed its landmark law all those years ago Read more »
Social Policy scholars from the University of Edinburgh ask whether the public is willing to spend more in so-called ‘sin taxes’ in order to fund its national health service Read more »
Heavy drinkers have a higher social cost than other drinkers and are more responsive to changes in alcohol prices, say the Institute for Fiscal Studies. So why not raise taxes on the high-strength drinks they most often consume? Read more »
Away from the “cheap political posturing”, policymakers’ decisions on alcohol taxes have real health consequences for people’s lives, says researcher Dr John Holmes Read more »
Cutting beer duty won’t encourage drinkers to switch from supermarkets to pubs, argues Aveek Bhattacharya Read more »