Government proposes 40p minimum price per unit of alcohol

According to data analysed by the Guardian, if the government sets the minimum price for alcohol at 40p it could increase the price of a fifth of supermarket drink offers.

The paper said more than 1,000 offers were priced under 40p per unit and would not be able to be sold after 2014, when the new laws come into effect. It quotes government analysis which says: "the cost of the minimum price for the average drinker will be just £21-£23 a year. Heavy drinkers (drinking far above the recommended limit – more than 50 units a week for men and 35 for women) face a cost of between £105-£135 a year."

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