Money is fungible, folk maximise utility
A flagship SNP health policy failed to curb problem drinking but forced alcoholics to go without food, a major study has found.
Scotland became the first country in the world to introduce minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol in May 2018, currently fixed at 50p per unit.
But in a landmark report on the effectiveness of the policy, researchers from Sheffield and Newcastle universities found “no clear evidence” it dissuaded alcoholics from drinking.
In some cases, heavy drinkers spent up to 29 per cent less on food, utility bills and other items, according to data collected from 100,000 participants.
We could – and some did – predict this from the start using really very basic economic principles……