Assessing the Impact of Minimum Pricing for Alcohol on the Wider Population of Drinkers - Baseline

In May 2018, Welsh Government issued a specification for an evaluation that would assess the process and impact of the introduction of a minimum price for alcohol (MPA) in Wales. The contract was split into four ‘lots’: (1) a contribution analysis, (2) work with retailers, (3) qualitative work with services and service users, and (4) an assessment of impact on the wider population of drinkers.

Three of the contracts (Lots 1, 3 and 4) were awarded to a consortium of researchers based at the University of South Wales, Glyndwr University Wrexham and Figure 8 Consultancy . Lot 2 was awarded to the National Centre for Social Research. This report focuses on the assessment of impact on the wider population of drinkers and presents findings from research conducted prior to the implementation of MPA in Wales. The findings provide an important baseline that can be used to monitor the impact of MPA on the wider population of drinkers in Wales post-implementation of the legislation.

Primary baseline data on alcohol consumption and drinking-related behaviours, as well as on attitudes towards the legislation, were gathered from drinkers across Wales using an online questionnaire survey and through in-depth qualitative interviews.