Welsh alcohol minimum pricing awareness campaign starts

A campaign is being launched to remind shoppers and retailers of the start of minimum alcohol pricing in Wales.

From 2 March, retailers will have to charge at least 50p a unit, meaning a typical bottle of wine would not cost less than £4.69.

The law will be effective from 2 March, after its introduction was delayed because of objections from Portugal.

A report found alcohol sales in Scotland dropped after a similar system started there in May 2018.

Adverts on social media, radio and online will be in place from Monday ahead of the March start date.

The Welsh Government said it would mainly be targeting retailers in the campaign.

The Public Health Minimum Price for Alcohol Wales Act 2018 tells retailers to use a formula for working out minimum pricing.

The objections by Portugal over fears the law would make the country's wines "less competitive" delayed its implementation.

It was also one of five countries who objected in 2013 to the Scottish Government's plans, along with France, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria.

They argued it breached European free trade law by discriminating against imported alcohol products, saying the policy was illegal, unfair and ineffective.

The Welsh Government said the harm caused by alcohol was a "major public health issue" leading to over 500 deaths a year.

"The policy targets harmful drinking and focuses on low cost, high strength products," a spokesman said.

Neither England nor Northern Ireland currently have plans to set a limit.