Now Scots paying up to 67% MORE for alcohol than drinkers in England

The SNP 's new laws on minimum pricing mean Scots will now have to pay up to 67 per cent more for alcohol than drinkers south of the Border.

As a key part of the Scottish Government's plan to tackle problem drinking, from tomorrow it will be illegal to sell booze in Scotland for less than 65p per unit of alcohol. For the past six years the minimum unit price has been 50p.

The rise comes despite critics claiming that minimum pricing penalises responsible drinkers but has done nothing to reduce alcohol-related deaths.

Now analysis by The Scottish Mail on Sunday highlights not only that Scots will have to pay record prices for their tipple of choice – but also the widening gulf south of the Border.

In the most extreme cases, consumers in Scotland will have to pay two-thirds more for the same products than in England.

The new minimum tariff means it will be illegal to sell a standard bottle of red wine in Scotland for less than £6.50 – or a standard bottle of whisky for less than £18.20.

One of the starkest cross-Border discrepancies sees a case of 18 cans of Strongbow cider being sold in England for a standard, non-­discounted, price of £14.

Each can has two units of alcohol meaning, from tomorrow, the same case cannot be sold in Scotland for less than £23.40 – making it £9.40 (67 per cent) more expensive.

Although the Scottish Government is adamant the hike in ­minimum prices is vital for tackling the country's stubbornly high levels of alcohol abuse, the nation's shop-keepers are worried the move will anger customers, encourage more theft and even persuade greater numbers to drive to ­England to stock up on cut-price booze.

Pete Cheema, chief executive of the Scottish Grocers' Federation (SGF), called on Ministers to spell out why they were raising prices.

He said: 'It's crucial there is a full public awareness campaign, led by the Scottish Government, to clarify why prices are going up.'

The rationale behind minimum ­pricing was to reduce the intake of the people most at risk of alcohol abuse.

This month, however, figures showed there were 1,277 alcohol-­specific deaths in Scotland last year – the highest since 2008.

Last night Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh ­Gulhane MSP said: 'Minimum unit pricing has proven to be a blunt instrument to tackle a complex problem, with those suffering from alcohol addiction even skipping meals to buy more drink.'

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: 'The Scottish Government does not anticipate significant changes to cross-Border sales following the increase of the minimum unit price but will keep this under review.'