We want to continue to reduce hazardous and harmful drinking and have increased the minimum price for selling alcohol.
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What is minimum pricing?
Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) sets a legal minimum price for alcohol sold in Wales. It was introduced in March 2020 under the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018 to reduce alcohol-related harm and target the sale of very cheap, high-strength alcohol.
The policy targets harmful drinking and focuses on low cost, high strength products.
From 1 October 2026, the minimum unit price for alcohol in Wales will increase from 50p to 65p per unit.
The increase is intended to maintain the effectiveness of the policy. Increasing the minimum price to 65p per unit is intended to ensure that minimum unit pricing continues to reduce the availability of cheap, high-strength alcohol and help prevent alcohol-related harm, illness and deaths in Wales.
You may see an increase in the price of some products. These will be alcoholic products which were previously sold below the minimum price.
Agreeing the minimum unit price
We consulted on the continuation of minimum unit pricing and increase to 65p.
The Senedd voted to continue the policy and approved the increase in February 2026.
