Scots being hit with a 'hidden' booze tax that adds around £100 a year to our drinks bill

By ANDY BEAVEN, NEWS AND FEATURE WRITER Published: 18:14, 4 July 2026 | Updated: 18:14, 4 July 2026 Scots are being hit with a hidden ‘booze tax’ that adds around £100 a year to the average person’s cost of buying alcohol. New research reveals the price for alcohol in Scottish shops, supermarkets and off-licences has risen 8 per cent in the past year to a record 78p a unit. By comparison, the price in England and Wales has risen just 3 per cent – to 69p a unit. Based on average alcohol consumption, the difference means Scots are paying £96.87 a year more for their drinks than they would if they lived down south. In September 2024, the SNP government changed the law so that alcohol in Scotland cannot legally be sold for less than 65p a unit. Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Craig Hoy said: ‘The SNP’s booze tax is just another example of hard-pressed taxpayers and businesses being punished. ‘Scots who have been working all day and fancy a beer to relax shouldn’t have to shell out more than their English counterparts. ‘But this is the harsh reality of the Nationalists’ anti-business agenda.’ Scots who enjoy a drink at home are paying on average  £96.87 a year more than they would if they lived south of the border In Scotland, alcohol cannot legally be sold for less than 65p a unit Meanwhile, shop-keepers claim that rules on minimum pricing are not the only reason booze is more expensive north of the Border. They said prices were also being pushed higher by the hostile environment for retail in Scotland – with shops facing higher business rates, more red tape, greater transport costs, and higher energy prices than elsewhere in the UK. The Scottish Grocers’ Federation said stores were being forced to pass on increased costs to their customers. Luke McGarty, head of policy and public affairs said: ‘The rising cost of doing business is having a marked impact on the viability of local shops in Scotland. ‘Convenience retailers are now facing a conveyor belt of new government regulations and tighter restrictions across a range of product areas. All this on top of higher business rates, transport costs, and energy prices than elsewhere in the UK. ‘Most local shops are well past the point of being able to absorb those extra costs. Unfortunately, that means much of the cost is passed on to customers, many of whom are also struggling with their household budgets. ‘Our members pride themselves on providing lifeline goods and services right on people’s doorsteps. So, it’s not surprising that non-essential and profitable items, such as alcohol, will see some price increases – to help businesses cover their costs.’ Last night the SNP blamed the UK government for the problems faced by small businesses. Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn said: ‘I recognise the pressures small businesses in Scotland continue to face – primarily because of decisions taken by UK Government, including its damaging increase to employers’ national insurance contributions.’ Scotland’s higher prices for booze emerged last week in a report by Public Health Scotland (PHS) into alcohol consumption. It highlighted that the off-sales price for alcohol increased in England and Wales from 67p in 2024 to 69p in 2025 – a rise of 2.99 per cent. In Scotland, the price rose from 72p to 78p – an increase of 8.3 per cent over the same period. The north-south price difference means a typical bottle of red wine containing ten units of alcohol costs £6.90 in England – and £7.80 in Scotland. And it means a bottle of gin costs £19.32 in England – compared with £21.84 in Scotland. The new PHS report also shows that, despite having to pay higher prices at off-sales, Scots still drink more than their counterparts in England and Wales. On average, every adult in Scotland buys 8.6 litres of pure alcohol per year, compared with 7.8 litres south of the Border. When non-drinkers are removed from the calculation, the report concluded the average drinker in Scotland consumes 20.7 units of alcohol per week – which is significantly higher than the 14 units a week maximum recommended by the UK Chief Medical Officers. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. 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