The report states: "We found no evidence to suggest that MUP caused any changes in per-adult sales of alcohol through the on-trade.

Instead our total effort in Scotland has gone into supporting police and community groups in combating alcohol abuse, including advising independent retailers on the social dangers of price-cutting and under-age sales." Modern popularity Maree Todd, the SNP's public health minister, said: "Minimum unit pricing is achieving what it set out to do - a reduction in sales overall with a focus on the cheap high-strength alcohol, which is often drunk by people drinking at harmful levels." However, sales of fortified wine increased 13.8 per cent, ready-to-drink beverages saw a 3.6 per cent surge and wine sales have increased by 1.8 per cent.At the time, when asked whether the figures meant that the fortified wine could be said to be associated with violence, Strathclyde Police superintendent Bob Hamilton said: "I think it's clear from the figures that there is an association there."

The overall reduction was driven by reduced per-adult sales of cider, perry, spirits and beer through the off-trade, although this was partially offset by increased off-trade sales of fortified wine and, to a lesser extent, wine."A new report into minimum unit pricing (MUP) found there has been a 3.6 per cent fall in the amount of alcohol sold through off-licences and supermarkets since the controversial policy was introduced. n 1927, the Abbey lost its licence to sell wine so the Abbot allowed wine merchants to distribute on behalf of the Abbey. The recipe was also changed from a patent medicine to a medicated wine. So far, so good… I grew up in one of those houses on one of those streets – not even the worst house, not even the worst street. Figures were based on the total volume of pure alcohol sold, both through pubs and in off licences. There has been a net reduction of three per cent, driven entirely by the off-trade. Read More Related Articles

The Public Health Scotland report also found that sales of ready-to-drink beverages such as Dragoon Soop – another beverage popular with young Scots – had increased since MUP came in. It is the second PHS report on the policy in a matter of days, after figures last week showed the cost of alcohol has increased by almost a fifth.

Scotland

Lucie Giles, Public Health Intelligence Principal at PHS, added: "We can conclude that, across Scotland as a whole, MUP has been effective in reducing alcohol consumption in the first three years of implementation." It is a well-established fact that a substantial amount of offences are committed by persons under the influence of alcohol, whether that be in houses or on the street," said Chief Superintendent Nelson Telfer, police commander for Lanarkshire. "My officers are tasked on a daily basis with targeting the most violent offenders and problem locations."