‘The evidence in favour of minimum alcohol pricing is simply not here. In a 2013 review of 19 studies, only two found that found a significant and substantial reduction in drinking rates in response to alcohol price increases –and even these two showed mixed results.’

‘Earlier studies found responsiveness to prices to be close to zero,’ he said in a statement.

Wirtz also suggested that as well as there being potentially no health impact, the increased prices will disproportionately impact lower-income individuals.

‘Minimum alcohol pricing is inherently a regressive measure, as it hits low-income households the most,’ he said.

‘The measure is therefore not only failing to achieve its own objectives, it is also fundamentally unfair to a large segment of the population.’

‘While minimum prices tries to prevent consumers from pivoting to lower-quality products, we need to realise that funds are fungible.’

‘Nothing prevents consumers from spending less money on healthy food or other essential items, in order to afford their consumption of alcohol,’ says Wirtz.