Wales extends minimum alcohol pricing from 9 Feb 2026
From today (9 February 2026), Wales keeps its minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol in place. Welsh Ministers have made continuation regulations so the policy does not lapse after six years. The Senedd approved the draft on 3 February, and the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, has now signed the regulations to bring them into force. (gov.wales)
Let’s get clear on the basics. MUP is a rule that sets the lowest legal price for a drink based on how much pure alcohol it contains. It uses a simple formula: minimum unit price × strength (ABV) × volume in litres. Welsh Government guidance shows, for example, that a 70cl bottle of 40% vodka cannot be sold for less than £14 when the rate is 50p per unit. Local authorities enforce the law and retailers who sell below the minimum can be fined. (gov.wales)
Why keep the policy now? When Wales introduced MUP in March 2020, ministers built in a ‘sunset’ point after six years. An official five‑year report, laid on 10 July 2025, found the policy targets the cheapest, strongest alcohol linked to harm. That evidence base, published on GOV.WALES, informed ministers’ proposal to continue MUP beyond March 2026. (gov.wales)
What did the Senedd decide? On 3 February 2026, Members of the Senedd debated and approved two draft regulations: one to keep MUP operating and a second to revise the price. In the Senedd record these appear as motions NDM9129 and NDM9130, confirming ministers needed a positive vote before the regulations could be made. (record.senedd.wales)
What changes next for prices? The continuation regulation keeps MUP running now, and a separate regulation will raise the minimum unit price from 50p to 65p on 1 October 2026. That timetable is designed to give retailers time to update systems and shelf labels; until then, the 50p rate remains in force. (businesswales.gov.wales)
What does a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) mean here? Before ministers make regulations like this, they publish an RIA setting out likely costs and benefits for people, retailers and enforcement bodies. For MUP, the analysis draws on independent evaluations and new modelling by the Sheffield team to estimate health gains and any market effects. (gov.wales)
What outcomes are expected? According to the Welsh Government’s statement when the Senedd voted, raising the unit price to 65p could prevent more than 900 alcohol‑related deaths over 20 years and reduce the number of harmful drinkers by nearly 5,000. These figures come from independent modelling commissioned by ministers. (gov.wales)
How does the approval procedure work? Regulations under the 2018 Act use the ‘affirmative’ procedure: the Welsh Government drafts them and lays them before the Senedd; Members must then debate and approve them before ministers can sign and bring them into force. The 3 February debate and vote recorded this step for both the continuation and price‑change regulations. (record.senedd.wales)
Was there a public consultation? Yes. Ministers consulted on the future of MUP and on the appropriate price level between 4 August and 29 September 2025, then published a summary of responses in November 2025. This met the consultation commitments set out for food law and fed into the final proposals. (gov.wales)
What this means for you now. If you sell alcohol in Wales, the rules continue from today: do not price below the statutory minimum and keep your calculations handy for inspections, then prepare for the 65p rate from 1 October 2026. If you are studying policy, treat this as a case study of how an Act sets the framework and regulations keep it current, supported by evidence and an RIA. (gov.wales)