The Alcohol (Minimum Price per Unit) (Scotland) Order 2018

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made under paragraphs 6A(4) and (6) of schedule 3 and paragraphs 5A(4) and (6) of schedule 4 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 (“the 2005 Act”). It comes into force on 1st May 2018.

The Order specifies the minimum price per unit for alcohol (50 pence). This applies for the purpose of calculating the minimum price of alcohol relevant to the licensing conditions in paragraph 6A of schedule 3 and paragraph 5A of schedule 4 of the 2005 Act which provide that alcohol may not be sold at a price below the minimum (article 2).

The Order also specifies relevant labelling provisions for the purpose of those licensing conditions. These are the Food Information (Scotland) Regulations 2014 which regulate indications of the alcoholic strength of beverages set out on labels (including for example tags, marks etc.) on bottles or containers of alcohol (article 3).

A full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs and benefit to business, public sector and consumers has been prepared by the Scottish Government and a copy of it placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Copies may be obtained from the Scottish Government Directorate for Population Health, St Andrews House, Edinburgh EH1 3DG and online at www.legislation.gov.uk.

The Order was notified in draft to the European Commission in accordance with Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 241, 17.9.2015, p.1) which lays down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and rules on Information Society Services.