Scotland’s health secretary has been branded ”bananas” after claiming fruit and vegetables will drop in price once minimum pricing of alcohol is introduced.
Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs that supermarkets increase the price of other products to subsidise the selling of cheap drink. And she predicted forcing retailers to set a minimum unit price on alcohol would keep other grocery bills down.
She said the measure currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament would reduce ”loss leading” whereby supermarkets reduce the cost of alcohol in a bid to attract customers and make up the money by increasing the price of other goods.
”Consumers will pay the cost of cheap alcohol through higher prices for other things that they buy because clearly supermarkets will loss-lead on things,” she said. ”So, without being flippant about it, your bananas will cost you more if alcohol has been deep-discounted.
”So I think minimum pricing has also got that benefit, in that you don’t see other goods basically becoming more expensive to subsidise cheap alcohol.”
Ms Sturgeon’s analysis was dismissed by Labour’s public health spokesman Richard Simpson. He pointed out that academic studies have shown retailers would be in line for a £100 million windfall if the policy was introduced.
He added: ”Nicola Sturgeon’s argument that this policy will make bananas cheaper is utterly bananas. If groceries become cheaper, then alcohol becomes more affordable Nicola Sturgeon has just undermined her own argument.”
The row erupted as revised research predicted setting a minimum price of 45p for a unit of alcohol would save 63 lives in the first year.
Sheffield University academics found that the 45p price, coupled with an off-trade discount ban already in place, would save an estimated 327 lives by year 10. They also estimate hospital admissions would reduce by about 6,600 a year, while the NHS would save £22 million annually.
The legislation failed to win support under the previous minority SNP administration but is expected to be passed this year thanks to the party’s new-found majority.
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