Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018
The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018 (the Act) provides for a minimum price for the sale and supply of alcohol in Wales by certain persons. It also makes it an offence for alcohol to be sold or supplied below that price and establishes a local authority led enforcement regime.
The Explanatory Notes to the Act explain, where necessary, the individual provisions of the Act.
Coming into force:
Sections 26 to 30 came into force on 10 August 2018, which was the day after the Act received Royal Assent. Section 28(2) of the Act provides that the other provisions come into force when one or more orders are made by the Welsh Ministers. The following orders have been made:
The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2019
The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2020
Subordinate legislation made under the Act:
| Title | Citation number | Made date | Coming into force date | Supporting documents |
| The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Minimum Unit Price) (Wales) Regulations 2019 | 2019 No. 1472 (W. 260) | 20 November 2019 | 2 March 2020 | Explanatory Memorandum |
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd:
The Bill was introduced by Rebecca Evans MS, (the then) Minister for Social Services and Public Health on 23 October 2017, and passed by Senedd Cymru (the then National Assembly for Wales) on 19 June 2018.
More information about the Bill is available on the Senedd’s website, including a record of the passage of the Bill through the Senedd and the Explanatory Memorandum that was prepared by the Welsh Government (as revised after Stage 2).
The Act received Royal Assent on 9 August 2018.
Related articles and information:
How to calculate the minimum price for an alcoholic drink
The Act includes a formula for how the applicable minimum price must be calculated. This formula is made up of the MUP (50p), the percentage strength of the alcohol and its volume.
MUP (£0.5) x Strength (%) x Volume (litres) = minimum price at which it can be sold.
For example, the calculation of the minimum price for a 70cl bottle of vodka of 40% ABV strength would be:
- 50p (MUP) x 40 (Strength) x 0.7 (Volume): 0.5 X 40 X 0.7 = £14.00
The minimum price this bottle of vodka could be sold is £14.00.
An MUP app is available on both Apple App Store and Android Play Store. It can be found by searching for ‘MUP Wales Calculator’.
If you have any further queries, please contact: DeddfIaA.MUPAct@gov.wales