The Welsh Government has unveiled a new law that aims to determine a minimum price for the sale of alcohol.

Having been introduced to the National Assembly for Wales, the Public Health Minimum Price for Alcohol Wales Bill intends to tackle the health issues that arise from excessive alcohol consumption.

Part of a wider government strategy to maintain the availability and affordability of cheap, strong alcohol, the bill intends to make it a punishable offence to sell alcohol below a specified minimum price.

Wales Public Health Minister Rebecca Evans said: “There is a very clear and direct link between levels of excessive drinking and the availability of cheap alcohol. So we need to take decisive action now to address the affordability of alcohol, as part of wider efforts to tackle alcohol related harm.”

“It is estimated that excessive drinking leads to 50,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions per annum.”

It is estimated that excessive drinking leads to 50,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions per annum, which results in the Welsh National Health Service (NHS) incurring an annual expenditure of around £120m.

Wales chief medical officer Dr Frank Atherton said: “Increasing the price of alcohol through the introduction of a minimum unit price provides us with an effective and efficient way of reducing excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm.

“The most substantial effects will be experienced by harmful and hazardous drinkers, who are more likely to consume cheaper and higher strength alcohol products.”

The government has incorporated a formula for an applicable minimum price, which will be based on the percentage strength of the alcohol, its volume, and the minimum unit price (MUP). This is expected to result in savings worth £882m to the Welsh economy through gains from the reduction in alcohol-related illness, crime, and workplace absence.