The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Minimum Unit Price) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Welsh Statutory Instruments

2026 No. 34

public health, wales

FOOD, WALES

The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Minimum Unit Price) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Made

6 February 2026

Coming into force

1 October 2026

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 1(1)(a) of the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018(1), make the following Regulations.

There has been a consultation as required by Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying procedures in matters of food safety(2).

In accordance with the Senedd approval procedure applied by section 26(2)(a) of the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018, a draft of this Welsh statutory instrument was laid before, and approved by resolution of, Senedd Cymru(3).

Title and coming into force

1.—(1) The title of these Regulations is the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Minimum Unit Price) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

(2) These Regulations come into force on 1 October 2026.

Amendment to regulation 2 (minimum unit price)

2.—(1) The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Minimum Unit Price) (Wales) Regulations 2019(4) are amended in accordance with this regulation.

(2) In regulation 2, for “£0.50” substitute “£0.65”.

Sarah Murphy

Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, one of the Welsh Ministers

6 February 2026

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018 (“the 2018 Act”) makes provision about the minimum price for which alcohol is to be supplied by alcohol retailers from qualifying premises in Wales to a person in Wales and establishes a local authority led enforcement regime.

Section 1 of the 2018 Act sets out the formula which is to be applied in calculating the applicable minimum price for this purpose. That formula is M x S x V.

M is the minimum unit price which is specified in regulations; S is the strength of the alcohol, expressed as a cardinal number (for example, if the strength is 5%, the relevant cardinal number will be 5); and V is the volume of the alcohol in litres.

The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Minimum Unit Price) (Wales) Regulations 2019 (“the 2019 Regulations”) specifies the minimum unit price (M) for the purposes of the 2018 Act.

These Regulations amend the 2019 Regulations to specify a new minimum unit price (M) for the purposes of the 2018 Act. The new minimum unit price is £0.65.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations in Wales. A copy can be obtained from the Health and Social Services Directorate, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ and is published on www.gov.wales.

(1)

2018 anaw 5.

(2)

EUR 178/2002, amended by S.I. 2019/641; there are other amending instruments but none are relevant to these Regulations.

(3)

The reference in section 26(2) to the National Assembly for Wales now has effect as a reference to Senedd Cymru, by virtue of section 150A(2) of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32).

(4)

S.I. 2019/1472 (W. 260).