The Welsh Government has agreed to raise the minimum unit price of alcohol by about 30 per cent, increasing it from 50p to 65p per unit from October 2026. This policy, first introduced in 2020 under the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act, is intended to discourage excessive drinking by making very cheap alcoholic drinks more expensive.
In practice that means bargain bottles, multipacks and large formats where the price has been kept low despite relatively high strength, including some stronger everyday wines (around 13.5% to 15% ABV) that are priced close to the lower end of the market and cheaper fortified styles if they are sold at low prices for their strength.
You are likely to see this most where supermarkets run “wine of the week” type promotions. They will not be allowed to price any wine below the legal minimum worked out from its alcohol content, which means the deepest discounts will be different than England for any bottles where the promotional price would otherwise fall under the minimum.
Supporters say it will reduce alcohol-related harm, while critics argue that it effectively raises costs for consumers and retailers rather than funding public services. The change follows a public consultation and reflects similar pricing policies already in place in Scotland.
