Price battle moves on

THE legal battle over the introduction of a minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol is set to enter a new stage at the European Court of Justice next week.

A hearing on the legal challenge to the Scottish Government legislation is due to take place on Wednesday May 6.

It’s the latest stage in the legal battle between the Scottish Government, whose Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) Act was passed in 2012, and a consortium led by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), which opposes MUP.

The Court of Session ruled in 2013 that minimum pricing was legal, but the decision was appealed by the SWA.

Following an appeal hearing last year, Scottish judges requested guidance from the European Court of Justice on whether or not minimum pricing contravenes EU law.